New York City, NY – The New York Knicks have made a significant trade, acquiring Bojan Bogdanovic and Alec Burks from the Detroit Pistons in exchange for Evan Fournier, Quentin Grimes, Malachi Flynn, Ryan Arcidiacono, and two second-round picks, sources have revealed.
The Knicks’ roster has been dealing with injuries to key players including Julius Randle, Mitchell Robinson, and OG Anunoby. The addition of Bogdanovic and Burks, both experienced veterans, is expected to provide immediate support to the team. The Knicks are aiming to secure a top-two seed in the Eastern Conference.
Bogdanovic, 34, averaged an impressive 20.2 points per game for the Pistons this season, with a shooting percentage of 41.5% from beyond the arc. He will fill in as the team’s starting power forward while Randle is out. Known for his scoring ability and shooting skills, Bogdanovic will bring valuable firepower to the Knicks’ lineup, both as a starter and off the bench.
Burks, 32, had previously played for the Knicks in the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons before joining the Pistons. He averaged 12.7 points in his first season with New York and 11.7 points in the second. Throughout 43 games with Detroit this season, Burks maintained a scoring average of 12.6 points per game and shot an impressive 40.1% from three-point range on 5.7 attempts per game.
As part of the trade, the Knicks also sent Quentin Grimes, a young shooting guard who was the 25th overall pick in the 2021 NBA draft. Grimes saw playing time as a starter for the Knicks last season before transitioning to a bench role this year. The Pistons, in need of shooting, will benefit from Grimes’ reliable three-point shooting, as he boasts a career average of 37.9% on five attempts per game.
In Evan Fournier, the Pistons are acquiring a player who, for the past year, has struggled to find consistent playing time with Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau. At 31 years old, Fournier has a team option for the next season and could potentially become an attractive target for contending teams if he becomes available on the buyout market.
The trade also involves Malachi Flynn and Ryan Arcidiacono, with the former having joined the Knicks just last month in a trade with the Toronto Raptors. Arcidiacono, who played sparingly for the Knicks this season, never managed to score a point in the limited minutes he received.
The trade between the Knicks and Pistons provides both teams with an opportunity to address their respective needs and strengthen their rosters moving forward. The Knicks hope that the addition of Bogdanovic and Burks will help them maintain their competitive position in the Eastern Conference, while the Pistons will rely on Fournier, Grimes, Flynn, and Arcidiacono to contribute to their rebuilding efforts. Both teams have made significant moves to improve their chances for success in the NBA.