New York Knicks: Where does Trey Burke fit in the long-term plan?
(Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)

Trey Burke is leading the way for the Westchester Knicks, but does he have a future with the New York Knicks?

The point guard position has long been a problem for the New York Knicks. Could Trey Burke be a part of the Knicks’ future at the position? Burke’s a former lottery pick out of Michigan and his career hasn’t quite panned out just yet.

The good news for Burke is that he gets to audition for a role in the Knicks’ future backcourt. And that’s the New York Knicks, not just the Westchester Knicks. Jarrett Jack has had a nice season so far, but he is far from the long-term answer at point guard. Despite his experience in the league, he’s a liability on defense and can’t score enough to warrant keeping him around past this year. Ramon Sessions is another experienced veteran but has only managed to get a handful of minutes this year. It’s likely that Jack and Sessions will play out this year in New York and move on to new opportunities. Ron Baker showed some promise as a combo guard last season but this year has been a very different story. Baker has barely seen the floor and when he has played point guard he has looked completely out of his element.

Frank Ntilikina could be the answer at the position. It’s far too early in his career to know for sure, but he’s shown promise thus far. Despite his raw offensive game, he looks like he could become a lockdown perimeter defender. So if Ntilikina could be the point guard of the future, where does Trey Burke fit in? Well, a good backup point guard in the NBA cannot be overlooked. Burke has the ability to score and could be an excellent complement to Ntilkina. Injuries are always a factor and without a solid backup, a team’s season could be derailed by one misfortunate injury.

Burke is lighting it up in Westchester this season. He is averaging 25.2 points-per-game and 5.8 assists-per-game in 36 minutes-per-game. In the past, Burke has been inefficient on the offensive end. In Utah, he only managed to shoot 34% from deep and 39% overall. In Westchester, Burke is shooting 46% from deep and 51% overall. This type of improvement bodes well for Burke’s chances at securing a spot on another NBA roster.

Another interesting aspect to Burke is his previous experience playing with Tim Hardaway Jr. at Michigan. This type of chemistry may not be a huge factor in the Knicks’ decision to keep him, but nonetheless, it helps his case.

For the time being, Burke should be making the most of his minutes in Westchester. He’s got talent and another team will be taking a chance on him in the future. If he continues to play well and fill up the box score, the Knicks may even toy with the idea of bringing him up to get some minutes off the bench. This year is about the future. This year is about player development. They might as well see what they have in Trey Burke.

 
NY/NJ hoops reporter (NBA/NCAA) & sports betting writer for XL Media. Never had the makings of a varsity athlete.