The Top Knicks Trade Deadline Rumors
The NBA trade deadline on Thursday, February 8th is just about a week away. New York has already made one impactful move this season acquiring OG Anunoby from the Toronto Raptors for some of their young players: Immanuel Quickley and RJ Barrett. Since the trade the Knicks have won 13 of 15 games and are now in the fourth spot in the Eastern Conference.
While the Knicks have appeared to get a lot better since the trade, they may not be done making deals before the deadline passes. Julius Randle unfortunately got injured which will force him to miss a couple of weeks. He is not likely to be traded now though compared to earlier in the year. Players that are more likely to be traded are their players on expiring contracts and picks as the Knicks are ready to compete now.
Ahead of the Knicks still as far as teams expected to compete to win the Eastern Conference are undoubtedly the Boston Celtics, Milwaukee Bucks, and the Philadelphia 76ers. Let’s look at some moves New York can make to potentially get in the conversation as the top Eastern-Conference contenders.
The Knicks possess four first-round picks in the 2024 NBA Draft. It is rumored that they would like to use those picks to acquire another star player alongside Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle. However, to make a trade they have to match salaries of the incoming player or players.
Getting Cade Cunningham from the Detroit Pistons could be enticing. He has been injury prone since being the first pick in the 2022 NBA Draft but he is on a favorable rookie contract and the Pistons may be ready to move on and acquire picks already. Matching Cade’s salary of $11 million would be easy. The Knicks could offer the expiring contract of Isaiah Hartenstein plus three first-round picks or a combination of expiring contracts of Precious Achiuwa and Malachi Flynn plus the same picks.
Another star who is more available than Cunningham is Zach LaVine. The problem with LaVine is that he is owed a ton of money over the next four seasons. The Knicks likely wouldn’t have to give up as many picks to acquire LaVine but may have to give up promising center Mitchell Robinson and also Evan Fournier. The Knicks would be going all in on this roster with this move.
The New York Knicks should be in all the rumors to acquire a star player after being one of the best teams in the NBA in the month of January. Any star player that becomes available should be a target of the Knicks. It will be an interesting trade deadline in the NBA.
By Jack Stradley, I’m a sports writer always looking for a gripping story and a hot take.