Former New York Knicks general manager Scott Perry picked Alec Burks over Bruce Brown as the team’s ideal trade target.

“I would be focused on trying to find somebody to get… to fill that role come off the bench, can score, capable of getting 20 points if needed, and also not sacrifice the integrity of your game defensively. The name that stands out most to me, obviously, is Alec Burks,” Perry said on the January 24 episode of SNY’s “The Putback” with Ian Begley.

Perry chose Burks, primarily, because of his familiarity with Tom Thibodeau’s system.

“He’s been there in the locker room. The players know him. So he would seem to be more of a seamless fit. A guy like Bruce Brown, and I love Bruce Brown’s game. I think he’s tough. He physically fits a lot of places, but he’s a little more of a duplication for what the Knicks already have in guys like Josh Hart, Donte DiVincenzo and Quentin Grimes — more defensive-oriented players and not guys who really create off the bounce,” Perry explained.

Alec Burks Is a Tom Thibodeau Player
Burks was a Thibodeau favorite when he was with the Knicks. Selected 12th overall in 2011, Burks has become an NBA journeyman but has become a steady veteran presence over his last few seasons in the league.

The 32-year-old veteran guard averaged 12.1 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.7 assists in two seasons with the Knicks, including their playoff run under Thibodeau. During his Knicks tenure, he’s played off the bench and even started as the team’s point guard.

“So he knows the system,” Perry said. “Again, when you make trades in the middle of the season, you’re not only taking on a player’s statistics and his abilities, but you take it on to personality. And so to me, if you have a known quantity that you could get back in your locker room, that will be the ideal thing to do. Not someone else who’s never been there. If Alec Burks is, in fact available, he will be someone that I think would fit seamlessly in what the Knicks are trying to do right now.”

Alec Burks Costs Cheaper Than Bruce Brown
Another factor why Perry is leaning towards Burks than Brown is the potential trade cost.

Burks is on an expiring $10.4 million contract and will be an unrestricted free agent this summer. So the lottery-bound Detroit Pistons are motivated to get whatever they can for him at the trade deadline rather than letting him walk for nothing after the season.

Brown, on the other hand, is owed $22 million this season and has a $23 million team option for next season.

“The Raptors’ asking price for teams interested in acquiring Bruce Brown has been described as a future first-round pick and a quality player … at a minimum,” NBA insider Marc Stein wrote in his January 21 substack newsletter.

Toronto knows that a variety of contending teams are interested in Brown, noting his contributions to Denver’s title run last season, making the Raptors hopeful they can spark some robust bidding for a player with both championship pedigree and a team-friendly contract.”