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New York Knicks: 5 deals that would make them instant contenders

By James Kattato

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 05: DeMar DeRozan #10 of the San Antonio Spurs dribbles in front of Bradley Beal #3 of the Washington Wizards during the first half at Capital One Arena on April 05, 2019 in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 05: DeMar DeRozan #10 of the San Antonio Spurs dribbles in front of Bradley Beal #3 of the Washington Wizards during the first half at Capital One Arena on April 05, 2019 in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) /
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A well-rounded backcourt

This would be the least impactful trade for the Knicks, but it still makes them winners even after getting rid of multiple young point guards. Say what you want about Eric Bledsoe and George Hill, but the New York Knicks would be receiving a fantastic starting/backup PG duo between the two of them.

Both veteran guards, Bledsoe and Hill have been around the league and have experienced lots of ups and downs. Coming over to the Knicks wouldn’t be anything too different for them. Together, they combined for over 23 PPG last season and can each contribute something to the Knicks if a trade occurs.

Bledsoe (29) clearly has more left in the tank to offer the Knicks. He can give them a great push for the upcoming season. The word that best describes Bledsoe is “bulldog” because he always plays with grit and toughness on both ends, especially on defense.

To list a few of Bledsoe’s impressive defensive stats, he’s 19th in the league in Steal Percentage, 16th in the league in steals per game (1.5), and 16th in the NBA in Defensive Win Shares. When you think of elite defensive guards, Eric Bledsoe should definitely be towards the top of that list. In terms of offense, he’s certainly no slouch.

15.9 PPG this past season while only playing 29.1 Minutes in 78 games. Looking at his per 36, he would be a near 20 PPG scorer while averaging 6.8 assists and 5.7 boards. Assuming he would get a larger role on the Knicks, Bledsoe could be a great fit and could easily propel this New York Knicks team to a playoff berth.

Backing him up, Hill would come off the bench as more of a quick offense type of player. For his career, Hill has drained nearly 38 percent from three, which puts him in the upper tier of NBA shooters. He’s had injury problems throughout his career so he isn’t all of what he used to be in Indiana. When healthy, Hill can come off the bench and provide some productive minutes for any team.

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