Given their excess of future first-round picks, the Knicks have long been viewed as a good candidate to make a trade for a star player — they seemingly got close last summer when they pursued Donovan Mitchell. In a recent Hoop Collective podcast, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst suggested that the team could be even more ambitious heading into the 2023 offseason.
“Here’s what I think about the Knicks,” Windhorst said (hat tip to RealGM). “They have two handfuls of trade material, in my opinion. They can make, in my opinion, two big trades if they had to coming into this summer. They have the expiring contract of Evan Fournier, which can act as ballast in a trade. They have a bunch of younger players that people are interested in. And they have something like nine tradable first round picks.
“In my view, they can trade for two star-level players if they needed to. … In my opinion, they can hold Jalen Brunson, they can hold Julius Randle, and they can make two giant trades. Now, whether they can hold Brunson, Randle AND (RJ) Barrett and make two giant trades, that would depend on the players. But there is even a window that they can hold all three of those and make two giant trades.”
Windhorst went on to offer some caveats. He believes that a star (or two) may have to explicitly seek a move to New York in order for the Knicks to realistically be able to use their assets to land two impact players. He also acknowledged that, as well positioned as the Knicks are to pursue a blockbuster deal or two, actually making those deals won’t be easy.
“Leon Rose has put them in position,” Windhorst said. “Getting into position is not the hard part. Executing is the hard part. But he’s put them in position.”
Here’s more on the Knicks:
- Three games after returning from a foot injury, Jalen Brunson was out again on Thursday in Orlando due to a right hand sprain, notes Peter Botte of The New York Post. Following the Knicks’ loss to the Magic, Brunson appeared to be sporting a hard plastic brace on his hand. “I think he’ll be evaluated when we get back (to New York), so we’ll see where he is,” head coach Tom Thibodeau said.
- An All-NBA second-teamer in 2021, Julius Randle had a down year in 2022 but now once again looks like a legitimate All-NBA candidate, writes Fred Katz of The Athletic. Katz polled 39 media members on their All-NBA picks and found that Randle received the fourth-most votes among forwards, behind only Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jayson Tatum, and Jimmy Butler. As Katz observes, Randle could benefit from superstars like Kevin Durant, LeBron James, and Kawhi Leonard missing significant time due to injuries.
- Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports spoke to Sixth Man of the Year candidate Immanuel Quickley about the strides he has made on both sides of the court during his third NBA season. Quickley will be eligible for a rookie scale extension beginning in July.
- Randle received a technical foul for yelling at official Leon Wood at the end of the first half of Thursday’s loss. Quickley, who tried to calm down Randle, ended up nose-to-nose with his teammate as the two exchanged words (Twitter video link), but downplayed the altercation after the game, Botte writes for The New York Post. “Honestly, everybody’s trying to win. Heat of the moment. That’s basically what it is,” Quickley said. “We all want to win. We’re all trying to get dubs.”
It is good for the NBA if the Knicks are good. They surely are trending in the right direction.
Agreed , and a nice thing for a Celt fan to throw. Out there
Knocks should trade him imo
But WHO are the 1-2 stars that may be available that would complement a core of Brunson/randle/maybe RJ?
Looking to the board for some help here!
Jaylen Brown
Is he bringing another baseketball with him or do you really think one of those three wants to cut way back on their shot attempts?
2 Trades I’ve hear rumored
1. RJ Barrett and 2 protected first picks for OG Anunoby.
2. Julius Randle, Immanuel Quickley and 4 unprotected first round picks for Kawhi Leonard. This assuming Clippers lose again and Kawhi wants out. Randle and PG13 are very close friends and Clippers might look to pair them plus replenish their draft picks as they retool for future.
Brunson, Grimes, Anunoby, Kawhi, Robinson would be the starting lineup for this team. Josh Hart 6th man.
Is that good enough for a title?? Kawhi is still in his prime for another 2-3 years. The other guys are all mid 20s.
Yeah…neither of those would happen. Knicks wouldn’t make the first one, and Leonard isn’t leaving home.
Ball and Heyward for Randle, Brunson and RJ. Adding stars to a core that already complain about a lack of shots. hate passing and playing defense is a terrible blueprint.
Terrible move
The salaries alone don’t make sense on this.
Is this a serious proposal? Ball is great but he hasn’t helped the Hornets win anything and he’s coming off a pretty significant injury. And Heyward is almost worthless with a massive contract (albeit for only one more year).
Brunson has been fantastic but you want to throw Randle and RJ on top of him? Why? How?
Also the salaries are very far apart in this proposal so it makes even less sense.
Still an Obi1 guy. Randle got too much drama. I’d trade him now. While his value is high.
But I know it’s never going to happen. So
I’d really be looking at Chicago and DeRozan.
Obi and Quickley is very nice start. Plus a #1 pick …..
Brunson and DeMar is a very nice mix imo.
It looks as if the front office they have in place is finally making the right choices. RJ Barrett got an extension but not a insane overpay. They got Brunson in and he’s been great providing offence and leadership. IQ and QG have both really improved and been good draft picks with late first round choices. Not going all in on Donovan Mitchell looks to be the right decision aswell.
The Knicks have sorta once again proven themselves to be a good regular season side when they set their mind to it but don’t look like much of a playoff threat. That’s because in almost any match up they have they’ll be going into a series without the best player on their team.
With the picks you own, the players (assets) you have and the attraction of being the Knicks you should be looking for that star player to put you over the top. However fit needs to be taken into account. Donovan would been terrible for the defence and reduced the role that QG and IQ have gotten to play. KAT who is the latest rumoured star, again would be terrible for the defence and I think similarly to Donovan cost to much in terms of assets.
I think the two most intriguing options which are both long shots is keeping the door open for Zion. In that case your keeping RJ and hoping he can eventually convince him to come. You’d be giving up Randle in whatever deal happens but he’s give you that superstar calibre player to build around.
The second would be hoping the clippers blow things up after multiple season of failing to meet expectations and you can get Kawhi Leonard. I could see Kawhi wanting to go to NY, play in MSG with those fans, playing Thibs basketball, wanting to play with a point guard like Brunson and having a good supporting cast. In whatever deal you make to get that done your giving up RJ, plus players and a bunch of picks but I could see them keeping Randle and Brunson.
For example Clippers go out in the first round, they decide to blow things up. Starting from the top and mr load management himself.
Something like RJ Barrett, Evan Fouriner, Obi Toppin, Mitchell Robinson and 4 first round picks for Kawhi Leonard and RoCo.
Clippers get back RJ who is mates with PG, Fouriners expiring deal, young talented forward in Toppin and a young talented centre in Robinson. Plus a bunch of picks.
Thus leaving the Knicks to line up something like
Brunson QG Kawhi Randle ….
IQ Hart RoCo Hartenstein
You’d fill out the centre spot in FA with the likes of Tristan Thompson, Mason Plumblee, Andre Drummond, Mo Bamba or Nerlens Noel.
Like I said it’s a long shot but that would be the dream scenario. If not I’d look to atleast move for OG and give up RJ. Who you can develop OG in a larger part of the offence to the points he’s like a baby Kawhi. Elite defender and good for 20 a night minimum
I think Knicks will go after that star next yr. They will see who’s available. I don’t want to overpay either. As long as Dolan stays put. Knicks can get that player.
I think Mitch will also be moved. He’s just another asset.
I don’t hate it, but I’m a bit skeptical to pay so much for an aging/injured Kawhai who already is avoiding back to backs.
And as much as I love Zion he is another question mark who would likely be an even bigger distraction than Randle. You saw how last year played out, right? It got ugly.
Idk the ins and outs salary-wise but I think Jaylen Brown would be a great fit. Boston return would center mostly around picks, maybe Fournier for matching who spent time in Boston and Obi, though he doesn’t make as much sense on the Celtics, could be handy if Horford tails off.
Zach Levine is another interesting one, though he’s not one of my favorite players and his injuries are just as worrisome. Still can be very good. KAT is an instant no.
I don’t see a world in which Boston moves of Jaylen anytime soon. His deal is cheap, he’s a great fit next to Tatum, the teams winning, and they’ve had good playoff runs. There’s no reason for them to move him that makes any sense.
LaVine I can see being made available but he’s terrible on defence and pair that next to Brunson is a recipe for disaster. Plus the injury history I don’t think he’s a good idea.
Kawhi I do agree has his negatives being game time and injuries but no star is really made available without so form of negative.
Most stars besides what Luka, Giannas, Jokic, Tatum all have some kind of negative be it age, injuries, attitude etc.
I could see the clippers and Kawhi as more feasible than other options mainly due to the underachievement, lack of patience and constant injuries.
Kawhi would be there most valuable trade chip and also I could see Kawhi wanting out because he’s got something to prove. PG has bounced around and we know what to expect most the time. Whereas with Kawhi he kinda out grew San Antonio and left ugly there, had 1 fantastic season in Toronto and has since been underwhelming in LA. I think he will want to prove himself and no better place to do that than NY.
A team of Brunson QG Kawhi Randle and someone at centre with IQ Hart RoCo Hartenstein that’s a solid team and you get them to a finals or better yet win a chip then you’ve cemented your legacy regardless of what people think at other organisations. Who cares about the injuries and missed games if you do something of that magnitude.
If you compare the Knicks with that Toronto team you have a very good leader at the point guard spot, you have another forward next to Kawhi that acts as the sidekick and at the centre spot is kinda a fill in rotational guy. Off the bench IQ Hart RoCo they are 3 and D, plug and play win now guys.
In terms of what your giving up RJ is the centre piece, Fouriner is a expiring deal, Toppin hasn’t been much since being drafted, Robinson is decent but replaceable and then picks. As the article says you have a bunch of trade-able picks, your not giving up all of them. I think it would be a no brainer
RJ has terrible efficiency no one is going to think of him as a sure bet asset he’s just a salary filler for right now.
Teams are going to want Grimes, Quickley, Robinson and draft picks. Even Randle is going to get serious interest after he gets a 2nd All -NBA award this season.
I can see the Clippers trading Kawhi for Randle, Quickley and 4 unprotected first round picks. PG13 and Randle are very good friends. Clippers might want to run out a team in 2024 of Westbrook, Quickley, George, Randle, Zubac and keep their deep bench. That’s still a playoff team in the West and they’ll have lots of draft picks for future.
That would give the Knicks a starting team of Brunson, Grimes, Barrett, Kawhi, Robinson with Josh Hart 6th man. Does RJ really fit this team better than someone like OG Anunoby?? I think the Knicks would also want to flip Barrett and picks for OG but maybe Raptors refuse to trade him.
Does swapping Randle and IQ for Kawhi make the Knicks title favorites?? I dont know. I think if they also can trade RJ for OG Anunoby then they would become favorites in the East since OG would be a perfect fit.
I could also see your deal being an alternative option and one if your the Knicks you definitely make although I’d line up Brunson Barrett Kawhi Toppin Robinson. RJ at the 2 provides better defence next to Brunson. Kawhi would want to stay at the 3 spot and then your promote Obi into a starters role. Think he could really step up without Randle and give you a nice 15-7 and shoot 34% from 3. Offensively it would be Kawhi and Brunson aiming to give you 30 each, with Toppin RJ and Robinson all aiming for 15 each, maybe a little more from RJ.
Defensively you’d have two good perimeter defenders in RJ and Kawhi and a rim protector in Mitch. Would be similar to the clippers but RJ for PG and better point guard play from Brunson. Then instead of Morris at the 4 you’ve got a younger more athletic Toppin.
As for the rest of your piece, I wouldn’t bother with RJ or OG. RJ at the 2 I can live with, it would be about getting the best out of Toppin. Then using FA wisely. Fouriner as an expiring deal and DRose getting brought out, what can they do with that.
Fouriner and Hartenstein for Hardaway and McGee, maybe throw in second rounder if needed. Hardaway competing with RJ…
Fouriner for Scary Terry (salary dump) then have Terry coming off the bench, he’d give you impact.
Fouriner and Grimes for Bagley and Burks. Depth at PF/C and keeping a scoring combo guard off the bench.
Probably not enough to make them a title favourite but good enough to be competing for a title for sure.
Personally like the Pistons move
Brunson Barrett Kawhi Toppin Robinson
McBride Burks Hart Bagley Hartenstein
For once, I agree with Windbag. It really wasn’t that hard (or shouldn’t have been) for the NYK FO to get the team in this position. Because all it really took was not biting on all the mindless deals that Windbag and his ilk suggested they should have done over the past 3 years. Where he and I differ is I hope that the purpose of that wasn’t to have the privilege of getting to do two such mindless deals in the same off season.
I suspect the NYK will be at a point this summer where trades can raise the team’s ceiling going forward. But hopefully they’ll be trades that build upon (rather than demolish) what they’ve built to date. No trade should disrupt the identity and culture of the team. I understand this is not a 2k concept and thus gibberish to many on this board, but the point stands all the same. Acquired players should fit (be good or at least able defenders and of an age that they fit the existing core’s timeline) and upgrade something (3 point shooting is an obvious one). No existing player is off limits, and, btw, Brunson, Randle and Barrett as a trio aren’t a great fit (we’re making due with it), so it wouldn’t be a great priority to keep all of them, particularly if we’re adding a scorer.
if someone like Kawhi Leonard becomes available you’d be crazy to not want him due to his age not fitting with the rest of the core.
Brunson, Grimes, Barrett, Kawhi, Robinson is a very possible starting lineup in 2024 and even though Kawhi would be 32 the rest are young and will look up to him as the leader who has FMVP experience.
Kawhi could definitely bring a title to NY he has nerves of steel the NYC pressure won’t affect him.
Think a trade of Randle, Quickley and 4 unprotected firsts will be enough to land Kawhi. Because Kawhi will want out from Clippers after they lose again this season. He knows if he can win a 3rd FMVP with a 3rd franchise that only LeBron has ever done that. So Kawhi can put himself as a top 10 player all time if he brought a title to NY and won FMVP.
PS. Listen to the song “Lullaby of Birdland” it’s been lost in time by the last few generations but it’s one of the best song ever created by humans.
lillard and anunoby.
From the wildest trade suggestion for the Knicks – Trae Young ????
Bradley Beal to NYK is a very good trade