As Zach Buckley observes, Donte DiVincenzo’s improvement as a three-point shooter has improved the Knicks’ spacing, but the team still lacks sufficient three-point threats off the bench. Their limited offensive depth could take a hit if Bojan Bogdanović (recovering from wrist surgery) and Alec Burks (UFA) depart the team this summer.
One potential solution is to acquire OAKAAKUYOAK Doug McDermott. Despite his recent struggles with the Indiana Pacers, Dougie McBuckets still has a reputation for reliable three-point shooting, and the Knicks could benefit from signing him at a lower cost. The 32-year-old, 6’6”, 225lb forward earned $13.75 M for the 2023/24 NBA season. He is set to become a free agent in the upcoming 2024 free agency.
Doug McDermott has played 10 seasons for six teams, including the Spurs, Bulls, and Pacers. You might remember Doug’s first go-round with the Knicks when he played 55 games during the 2016-17 campaign. The North Dakotan averaged 7.2 points and 2.4 rebounds in the Big Apple while shooting 46% from the field and 39% from downtown before being traded.
This season, in another February 8 three-team trade, McBuckets was sent from the San Antonio Spurs to the Indiana Pacers; the Pacers traded Buddy Hield to the Philadelphia 76ers; the 76ers sent Furkan Korkmaz and two second-round picks to the Pacers, and Marcus Morris and another 2029 second-round pick to the Spurs.
In 46 games before this latest trade, he had shot 43% from downtown. Since going to Indiana, Doug lost his groove. He has averaged just 4.2 points and 11 minutes per game in 18 appearances with the Pacers, hitting an un-McBuckets-like 32% on 3.1 three-point-attempts.
With lifetime averages of 8.9 points and 2.2 rebounds, the market isn’t expected to be high for a player of his vintage. Nonetheless, he’s shot 41% from deep for his career, and that could entice a team like the Knicks to pick him up—depending on the circumstances with the 35-year-old Bogdanovic and soon-to-be-33 Burks, of course. Truth be told, if the roster is fully healthy, Doug would surely record a ton of DNPs with the Knicks, but if this season taught us anything, it’s: Be Prepared.
…like a good Boy Scout. How would you feel about reuniting with Mr. McBuckets? Air it out below. And go Knicks.
