The Knicks have agreed to a sign-and-trade to acquire Magic big man Kyle O’Quinn. The Knicks gave the Magic the remainder of their 2014-15 cash and the right to swap 2019 2nd round picks. As for the signing part, the Knicks agreed to a 4 year, $16 million contract with O’Quinn.
In O’Quinn, the Knicks get an intriguing young big man with passing and shooting skills. The 25 year old averaged just 15 minutes per game with the Magic, but flashed the ability to be an impactful role player. Back in April, Zach Lowe identified O’Quinn as a potential free agent steal.
O’Quinn mainly operates from the high post. Because of his ability to hit mid-range jumpers, defenders must play close to him. That opens up lanes for teammates off the ball, who O’Quinn is adept at passing to.
While he’s not particularly explosive, O’Quinn is a solid defender. Despite not being a great leaper, his length and verticality bother opponent’s shots. In the paint, O’Quinn uses his strength to body opposing big men. He is a quality rebounder on both ends of the floor.
Last year was up-and-down for O’Quinn. He started off the year with a sprained ankle and missed almost a month. Then he played solidly throughout the year, but lost his spot in the rotation once Aaron Gordon came back from injury and gained more minutes.
Despite shooting just 4 three pointers in first two years combined, then coach Jacque Vaughn asked O’Quinn to step behind the line. He responded by hitting 12 of his 43 attempts, or 27.9%. Given the relatively small sample size, and being the first time he shot threes in volume, that’s an acceptable conversion ratio. Hopefully its the first step toward O’Quinn working on the shot and becoming a consistent threat from outside.
In New York, O’Quinn should see an increased role as the first big man off the bench. He’s a strong, gritty defender whose passing and shot making ability make him a great fit for the triangle offense. If he can expand his game to a new role at 25 minutes per game, O’Quinn could be a steal for the Knicks.