At the start of the 2015 NBA season, Derrick Williams look good as gone from the New York Knicks. The power forward had signed a contract that was easy to get rid of and after Kristaps Porzingis cemented his role as a starter for the franchise, Williams no longer had a place. He struggled off the bench and was thrown into every trade rumor involving the Knicks. However, Williams has turned everything around leaving the Knicks to adjust their plans.
Williams let his value show for the Knicks when he helped bail out Porzingis. The rookie struggled against the Utah Jazz leaving Williams to put up a nice 17 points. He had one of the biggest buckets of the night during overtime as a drilled a go-ahead 3-point shot. Plays like that have cemented Williams' role on the Knicks for the season which could alter what they look at in trades.
"It was amazing,'' Williams said, via the New York Post. "You dream about stuff like that when you're 5, 6 years old. It's one of those lifelong moments I've always wanted. We needed to make a play at that point. I'm glad I could make a play for the team and get an and-1.''
The rise of both Porzingis and Williams will have the Knicks looking elsewhere in trades and free agency. The biggest need for the team is finding an upgrade over Jose Calderon, Langston Galloway and Jerian Grant. According to ESPN's Ian Begley, the Knicks view Grant as potentially the future of the point guard position, but that will not stop them from looking at an elite player at the trade deadline or in free agency.
Marc Berman of the New York Post is reporting that Mike Conley is the favorite for the Knicks and while most people would love to see the point guard get traded for in the middle of the year, that will not happen. The Knicks do not have the assets to acquire the point guard from the Memphis Grizzlies. They will not be impressed with a trade package that includes Calderon and maybe Kyle O'Quinn. Brandon Jennings will be another player too expensive to acquire. The Knicks cannot afford to give up most of the assets on their roster limiting the players they can target.
Ty Lawson might be the best option if the Knicks want to make a trade. According to Brian T. Smith of the Houston Chronicle, if the Rockets are making a trade at the deadline, it will involve Lawson. The point guard experiment has not worked out for the Rockets and they need help. The Knicks have nothing to offer the Rockets to entice them into a deal. At this point, the best option could be bringing up Jimmer Fredette and holding out until free agency.
