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There’s growing chatter among league insiders that Donte DiVincenzo might team up with his former Villanova teammates Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart in New York.
On June 24, Sports Illustrated ran a piece titled, “NBA Free Agency: Warriors’ Donte DiVincenzo to Knicks?” DiVincenzo scored 9.4 points per game last season with the Warriors. The 26-year-old was on a two-year contract that includes a player option for the 2023-24 season. He shot 40% from three on just over five attempts per game. And hey! The Knicks need shooting. . . .
Today, Jake Fischer wrote for Yahoo! Sports: “There have already been several names linked to the Wolves...and they’re all playmaking, bigger combo guards such as Bruce Brown and Donte DiVincenzo. Both players are expected to have several options in that contract range, where there’s been growing noise among league personnel about DiVincenzo joining former Villanova teammates Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart in New York.”
Finally, on the latest episode of The Putback with Ian Begley, DiVincenzo’s name came up, too. Talking about who exactly are the DiVincenzo fans within the organization, Begley clarified, “People off the court, it’s the coaching staff and front office.”
Familiar face Frank Isola further opined: “Jalen Brunson played with him. When you look at Donte when he was with the Golden State Warriors, he was better than Jordan Poole was. He rebounds the ball, he’s a willing defender, he doesn’t take crazy shots. I think getting a guy like that would actually help them.”
Brunson, Hart, and DiVincenzo were all together on Villanova’s 2015-16 championship team, and Brunson and DDV won it again in 2018. Getting the band back together might be just the magic formula that New York needs to win it all.
The burning question is, of course, who gives up minutes to accommodate DDV?
For those who want DDV - understand that means there will be some major movement that's accompanies that. You might not like the casualties... https://t.co/fdnU6WN4fD pic.twitter.com/N2HZyDKLJH
— Xavier Justin (@xavierjdesigns) June 27, 2023
Could Donte be seen as a more affordable replacement for Immanuel Quickley? He could take IQ’s minutes at nearly half the cost. Furthermore, IQ has stated that he hopes to be a starter, but Brunson has a firm hold on the lead guard spot. If the Knicks acquire DDV, don’t be surprised if IQ is moved soon after. Go Knicks!
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