Report: Knicks 'have interest' in Brandon Jennings
Brandon Jennings is in a tough spot in Detroit after playing his first game with the Pistons on Tuesday since ending last season with an Achilles injury. Jennings posted three points—against the Knicks—and now, with Reggie Jackson firmly slotted in as the Pistons' starting point guard, Jennings may end up coming back to Madison Square Garden to play again.
And again. And again. And again.
Here's more from Frank Isola of the New York Daily News:
Jennings has never been an efficient scorer—save for a hot 15-game stretch at the end of his season last year—and he's not the world's most willing distributor, but Jennings would also be a major point guard upgrade for the Knicks.
New York is currently running guys like Jose Calderon, Langston Galloway and Jerian Grant at the 1. Calderon can shoot and sees passing lanes but is a bit too slow to get the ball to the right man before those lanes close (or to get into the paint at all). Galloway is a second-year player who's still learning how to facilitate, and though he's capable of getting to the rim, he's not a particularly effective finisher once he gets there. Grant, meanwhile, is a rookie who has received inconsistent playing time throughout the year.
Jennings has been in the league since 2009. He's hardly an old man, but he could at least supply a presence of someone who's been in the league before. Meanwhile, he will hit free agency this summer, so it's not like the Knicks would have to give up much to acquire him (presumably). That said, the Knicks shouldn't sacrifice any of their future for the prospect of acquiring a 26-year-old non-facilitating point guard coming off a major injury. This one all depends on value.
The Knicks, according to a source, have interest in several point guards including Jennings, who finally returned to the lineup after rupturing his left Achilles tendon nearly 11 months ago. That’s a red flag right there. Jennings went 2-for-4 with seven points and four assists in 17 minutes in his season debut.
Of course, the trading deadline is two months away, which gives Jennings plenty of time to prove he can still be a starting-caliber point guard. “Oh yeah, I don’t think there is any doubt,” said Pistons coach Stan Van Gundy. “Brandon is coming back well off of the injury and he’s a guy who just absolutely loves to play, loves to be in the gym. He’s still young, he’s still 26. I don’t think there’s any doubt he’ll be a starting point guard in this league again.”
How’s that for an endorsement from Van Gundy, who also serves as the Pistons’ president of basketball operations. Van Gundy didn’t waste any time replacing Jennings. He traded for Reggie Jackson last year and then signed him to a five-year deal worth $80 million.