NBA
Report: Former Jazzman Alec Burks Traded To Detroit Pistons
SALT LAKE CITY – Former Utah Jazz guard Alec Burks is reportedly being traded from the New York Knicks to the Detroit Pistons, according to ESPN.
Adrian Wojnarowski reported that the Knicks are trading Alec Burks and Nerlens Noel to the Pistons, along with two future second-round picks and cash.
The Knicks are including two future second-round picks and cash in the deal to incentivize the Pistons, sources tell ESPN. https://t.co/sjuX7PIhkw
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 29, 2022
According to Wojnarowski, the Knicks are unloading $19 million in salary in order to make a big offer to Dallas Mavericks guard Jalen Brunson, who is now a free agent.
Burks was taken by the Utah Jazz with the 12th overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft. He spent the first eight seasons in Salt Lake City, where he played 382 games, including 43 starts. Burks averaged 9.6 points, 2.9 rebounds and 1.6 assists in a Jazz uniform.
On November 29, 2018, Burks was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange for Kyle Korver. Then on February 7, 2019, Burks was involved in a three-team trade. The Cavaliers traded Burks to the Sacramento Kings, Wade Baldwin and Nik Stauskas to the Houston Rockets, while the Rockets sent Marquese Chriss and Brandon Knight to the Cavaliers. The Kings completed the trade by sending Iman Shumpert to the Rockets.
During the 2019 off-season, Burks signed with the Golden State Warriors as a free agent. That stint didn’t last long as the Warriors traded Burks and Glenn Robinson II to the Philadelphia 76ers for draft picks on February 6, 2020. On November 22, 2020, Burks signed with the Knicks as a free agent.
In two seasons with the Knicks, Burks averaged 12.1 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game in 130 games played with 49 starts.
The Knicks are now in pursuit of Jalen Brunson, who has improved in every season he has been in the NBA. He averaged 9.3 points per game as a rookie in 2018-19, before dipping to 8.2 in 2019-20. Brunson bumped his average to 12.6 last season before posting 16.3 points per game this past season, including a big playoff performance.
