The Knicks made their biggest move of the year right before the season began, acquiring Karl-Anthony Towns in a blockbuster at the start of training camp. That move has paid major dividends for a team that currently has its best regular season winning percentage since 1997.
Of course, making a move of that magnitude — Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo were sent to Minnesota — meant the Knicks were likely to have a quiet trade deadline.
New York did make one minor trade, sending Jericho Sims to the Bucks in exchange for guard Delon Wright. As James L. Edwards III of The Athletic writes, the Knicks have a history of sending players to situations where they can potentially thrive, like with Obi Toppin, RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley, and this was the latest in the series.
The Mavericks, Spurs, and Pelicans were among the teams who had talks with the Knicks about Sims before he was sent to Milwaukee, according to Edwards.
As for Wright, he signed with the Bucks this past summer after closing out last season with the Heat. However, his role has been modest this season — he averaged just 2.5 points per game and shot 26.8% from the field across 26 appearances in Milwaukee.
There’s reason to believe Wright can turn his season around with the Knicks, according to the New York Post’s Bryan Fonseca. The veteran guard was a playoff contributor just last season with the Heat, and Fonseca notes that health issues affected him during his time in Milwaukee.
Knicks big men Mitchell Robinson and Precious Achiuwa stuck with the team through the deadline after both having their names floated in rumors for much of the season. Edwards writes that Robinson will be New York’s biggest midseason acquisition when he returns from injury, giving the Knicks a superb defender to add to the rotation. As a first-apron team, the Knicks won’t be eligible to sign anyone who made over the mid-level exception ($12.8MM) on the buyout market.
“You guys can read the tea leaves,” head coach Tom Thibodeau said of the team’s quiet deadline, per the New York Post’s Peter Botte. “We like our team a lot. Obviously, we are excited about Mitch. But we also feel Ariel [Hukporti] has done a good job, and [Achiuwa] has done a good job. That’s really how we approach it.
“[Team president] Leon [Rose] and his staff, they are on it all year long. I think there’s a tendency to think this happens a couple days before [deadline]. They are always looking if they can improve the club. If there’s something that makes sense, they explore it. Then, you go from there. But we like our team a lot.”
As Botte opines in another story, it will be interesting to monitor whether the gambit of relying on health will pan out for the Knicks after a couple key East rivals made moves to shore up their teams, including the top-seeded Cavaliers acquiring De’Andre Hunter.
Sometimes the best move is no move at all
Knicks gonna need Mitch Robinson to come back healthy. KAT has been amazing offensively. He will be targeted in the playoffs defensively. Without Mitch shoring that interior defense up …… Knicks will be headed for another 2nd round exit.
Cavs and Celtics are both better than Knicks. Its not another exit. Its two better teansbthat could winnit all. Mitch has plenty time to get ready for a playoff run. Bench scoring will be the issue.
@Barry – Agreed, unfortunately. From a NYK fan’s perspective, it’s not a comfortable thought that the entire season is likely to come down to the health and level of play of a single injured and injury prone player (and he isn’t even a so-called star). But it’s where the NYK are, and there wasn’t an obvious way to rectify it at the deadline. Still, a “Mitch or Bust” view isn’t popular, so the search for some “it ain’t so” narrative will continue to, in and through the playoffs.
Knicks can make ECF, lineups shorten in the playoffs and NYK players have played through those hard minutes last year.
Knicks have a few holes on the team. They need to be more healthy and players playing above their level to get past a cavs or celtics team.
You could say that about any team when it pertains to the playoffs.
I hope Hukporti gets a few minutes a night. He could develop into a solid player. Hukbois unite.
He is looking solid. Definitely can see him as a backup big for the next few years on this team.
Best case, he and Mitch both ball out and we get real value for Mitch in an off-season trade
First off I think the Knicks have a great roster. But the lack of moves had more to do with being hard capped at the 2nd apron and lacking assets to make moves. That isn’t an issue for a team this good imo but it is a more honest assessment than this article.
The Knicks have been the most creative team in the league when it comes to cap shenanigans. If they’d wanted to do something, they’d have figured out a way to make it happen
Knicks needs to add TJ Warren now on a couple of 10 day contracts before some other team signs him like Okeke. The two 10 contracts should take them closer to March 1 and sign him permanently.
Not sure why we let the Celtics get Torrey Craig
NYK can’t sign a rest of the season contract before March 1st. Other teams didn’t need their permission to do a contract earlier.
Wtf is matt Ryan holding a roster spot? Dude is a$$ and gets 2 mons of garbage time every blowout
Ryan is a 2-way contract, and so he’s not relevant to standard roster move, only a potential replacement 2-way guy.
I get the rumors in NBA. But why Precious would be in them. Is beyond my comprehension. He’s the reason Knicks have become a top team on D. And he’s the reason KAT is consistently playing. Ever since he came back from injury. He’s made a big difference. He deserves respect especially from local media.
I have total faith Mitch makes us a better team. Has plenty if time to be ready for a playoff run. What worries me is. Celtics and Cavs are true championship contenders. Love Cavs trade for Hunter. Its matchups and the 7 gm series. That will the true definition of the matchup. I like how Knicks matchup with them. Today is a good test. Gotta send a message.
I personally would gave gone after more scoring. Getting a draft pick for Sims and use it with Kolek. To add a player. I guess Knicks feel they can pick pkayer up soon. So why give up assets now. TJ Warren led the G-league in scoring. He’s been out for 2+ yrs. He should be ready to show up. Remember getting Mitch back not only can make Knicks a top D team. But it gives KAT and Precious time off to be fresher. Depth is what Knicks have. And hope Thibs uses it .
Bench — Mitch, Precious, McBride, Payne, Hukporti, Shamet,Kolek, TJ, Dadiet
Knicks needs to add TJ Warren now on a couple of 10 day contracts before some other team signs him like Okeke. The two 10 contracts should take them closer to March 1 and sign him permanently.
LOL. Before you go on post this 30 times, maybe learn the rules. It wouldn’t take longer than positng it once. 10 day salaries are the same pro-rated minimum per day, and they count the same against the hard cap. So, it would only cut up the 6 weeks or so he can be on the team.
Hopefully, the NYK FO has full confidence in their roster. They depleted what was (15 months ago) a rich base of trade assets to create it. The quiet deadline was more a function of that than anything else.
What trade options did they really have? I saw three without breaking up the team they just put together. They could (1) trade a minimum for another minimum contract, (2) trade a minimum contract without taking back a player (and bring up TJ Warren and have more flexiblity in the buyout market), or (3) trade Achiuwa (or, if insanity set in, Mitch).
I was hoping they’d go the #2 route, which I thought they telegraphed. But they chose #1. I didn’t like it, but the guy they picked up (Wright) sort of addresses their biggest weakest. Wright, for most of his career, was good to very good perimeter defender. NYK was 29th or 30th in the league in 3 pt defense.
@DXC. Thanks much appreciated