Knicks reportedly exploring trade for former Defensive Player of the Year

The New York Knicks are remaining as aggressive as ever in their offseason quest to finalize a roster that can realistically win the NBA Finals next season. As a result, the Knicks have been looking into trading for Memphis Grizzlies star and former 2022 NBA Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart.

Knicks are reportedly making a push for Grizzlies PG Marcus Smart

According to CBS Sports' Kris Pursiainen on X, New York's front office is willing to make something happen in the open market should discussions about Smart evolve into trade negotiations (h/t Athlon Sports' Chris Phelps):

"The New York Knicks have had internal discussions about a potential deal for Marcus Smart per sources familiar with the situation," Pursiainen wrote. "NYK has had rumored interest in Smart before. No deal is imminent but several sources indicated the Knicks are willing to be active on the market."

Knicks: The rich would get richer if Smart is brought to the City That Never Sleeps

Smart is a great two-way player that could be the final piece to the Knicks' championship puzzle. The Oklahoma State product is an elite on-ball defender who can lock up opposing playmakers coming up the floor, but thrives particularly when playing his man up front in the half-court, where he is exceptional at drawing charges, stripping the ball, and using his body to impede slashers from getting the step on him en route to the cup.

His 2.6 percent steals percentage is currently No. 4 among all active players and he could directly help a Knicks team that finished with the seventh-fewest takeaways (17.5 steals per game) on the previous campaign.

Offensively, Smart has microwave capabilities from outside. Though he only shot 31.3 percent from the three-point line in 2023-24, he is the type of contributor whose hot hand is hard to extinguish once he sees the bottom of the net from distance, and that hot hand increases along with his confidence, and the range in which the 10-year veteran lets his shots off in the midst of his streaks.

Rounding out his offensive arsenal with sound passing, Smart currently stands as one of the best backup point guards in the entire league. Should injuries take their toll on the Knicks next season, particularly to 2024 MVP candidate Jalen Brunson, the 30-year-old would give head coach Tom Thibodeau an abundance of confidence to deploy him, having formerly orchestrated the Boston Celtics to the NBA Finals in 2022.

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New York will almost certainly keep their starters Brunson, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby, Karl-Anthony Towns, and Josh Hart out of all trade talks, but players like the oft-injured Mitchell Robinson, breakout shooter Miles McBride, and Cam Payne could find themselves pushed as valuable trade centerpieces in order to acquire Smart.

Knicks president Leon Rose and his staff would have to determine if Smart would bring more value to the team and further their title push more than the three aforementioned second-unit contributors.

Smart has the accolades and feel for the game that would fit right into the Knicks' operation. The biggest factor that would distinguish the three-time All-Defensive First Team honoree over those who New York would deal away is his readiness to fill any role to a T.

He has $41.79 million left on his current deal with the Grizzlies through 2025-26. Thus, the Knicks would need to match that with another piece next to either McBride or Payne, neither of whom will earn more than $5 million next time out. Robinson's combined $27.2 million over the next two years could make a deal work and allow New York to fill out their roster with healthy veteran talent in the free agent market or elsewhere.