NEW YORK – The Knicks sit second at 21–9 in the Eastern Conference. They trail Detroit by three games and lead Boston by two and a half. Despite the standings, they have established themselves as the team to beat in the East. Despite this, they need another backup big. The Knicks could land Day’Ron Sharpe from their crosstown rivals to solve it.
Knicks Could Turn European Misses Into Double-Double Behemoth
A Contender With a Statistical Imbalance
The Knicks own the third-best offense in the league. They pair it with a middling defense, ranked 14th. As a result, they have the fifth-best net rating in the league. They protect the paint at an elite level, ranking fourth. They struggle to defend the perimeter consistently. Which is surprising given the perimeter defenders the Knicks have.
The Frontcourt Depth Problem
The Knicks have a clear need for another big, despite their strength there. They have multiple personnel options to course-correct their perimeter defense internally. They do not have enough bodies in the frontcourt. Karl-Anthony Towns routinely gets into foul trouble. Mitchell Robinson has already missed nine games this season. He has also struggled with injuries for years. Ariel Hukporti has become an afterthought in Mike Brown’s system.
New York is straddling the second apron. The hard cap limits flexibility. The Knicks need to add a big. They must do so on the fringes to avoid disrupting team chemistry.
European Additions as Trade Currency
Guerschon Yabusele and Pacome Dadiet stand out as trade candidates. They are the Knicks’ recent French additions. Yabusele has struggled to carve out a role in Brown’s system. He averages three points and two rebounds. He shoots 39 percent from the floor and 30 percent from three. Dadiet has not flashed the potential that made the Knicks select him 25th last year.
Why Day’Ron Sharpe Fits the Knicks
The Knicks could use both whiffs to acquire Brooklyn’s Day’Ron Sharpe. He checks every box they need in a backup big. Sharpe averages seven points, over five rebounds, two assists, and about a steal per game. He does that in just 16 minutes. Those numbers do not stand out. His per-36 numbers tell a more eye-opening story. He averages nearly 16 points and over 12 rebounds.
A Double-Double Presence Hiding in Plain Sight
Sharpe becomes a walking double-double with opportunity. He provides perfect Robinson insurance. He dominates the boards, especially the offensive glass. Over his first four seasons, he finished in at least the 99th percentile in offensive rebounding percentage. This season, he has dipped to the 87th percentile. He still ranks as elite. Defensively, he remains solid. Opponents score 4.6 fewer points per 100 possessions with Sharpe on the court. He earns $6.25 million this season. Next year’s team option is the final year of his deal. The Knicks could package Yabusele and Dadiet to pry Day’Ron Sharpe from their crosstown rivals.