One of the New York Knicks free-agent acquisitions, Reggie Bullock, underwent successful surgery on a herniated disc.
Per the New York Knicks, free agent signing Reggie Bullock underwent successful surgery on a cervical herniated disc on Wednesday.
Bullock and the Knicks had recently re-negotiated the terms of a reported two-year, $21 million deal. Per Ian Begley of SNY, Bullock has agreed to a two-year deal with an annual salary worth less than the $4.7 million room exception after Bullock’s unexpected injury concerns. Knicks fans will almost always be triggered when they here about back injuries (just please google Al Trautwig-Amar’e Stoudemire-bulging).
Bullock is expected to miss the first month of the season and it’s unclear how that will impact the roster going forward. Bullock certainly has a talent that the Knicks need—three-point shooting. Yet, Bullock’s minutes may come at the expense of some of the younger players on the team.
Although nothing is set in stone, young players like RJ Barrett, Allonzo Trier, and possibly veteran Wayne Ellington will likely see a lot of minutes at shooting guard. What does this mean for Bullock? Or even Damyean Dotson and Frank Ntilikina. Dotson was a leader on the team last year, and Ntilikina, if the Knicks ever trade him, would have his value hurt by not letting him see the floor.
All of these questions need to be answered by head coach David Fizdale as he enters his second season at the helm for the Knicks. No question, having a player like Bullock can help improve spacing and driving lines for players like Dennis Smith Jr., Barrett, and Trier, but there just are not enough minutes to go around.
Bullock’s role as a rotation player or trade chip will be determined in the future. For now, it’s nice to see the front office address areas of need with proven vets. Let’s hope it lasts.
