The New York Knicks are expected to be active at the 2018 NBA trade deadline. A recent report provided a broad scope of New York’s plans.
Patience is running thin during what’s shaping up to be a fifth consecutive season on the outside of the NBA Playoffs. Yet, with mere days remaining until the 2018 trade deadline, no one quite knows whether the New York Knicks will be buyers or sellers come Feb. 8.
Rumors have surfaced of teams expressing interest in negotiating with the Knicks, but thus far, mum has been the word on the front office’s intentions.
New York has been tied to All-Star point guard Kemba Walker, but the interest was expressed from the Charlotte Hornets’ side of the negotiating table. Teams have reached out about Willy Hernangomez, Enes Kanter, Courtney Lee, Kyle O’Quinn, and Lance Thomas, but nothing is imminent on that front, either.
Thankfully, a recent report has offered a peak inside the minds of New York’s newly-formed front office.
According to Ian Begley of ESPN New York, the Knicks have no plans to include a first-round draft pick in a potential trade—nor do they intend to take on any significant contracts.
"New York has no plans to include any first-round picks in trades before the deadline and doesn’t want to acquire any significant salary — unless it’s tied to a player that the organization views as part of its future."
In other words: While the Knicks aren’t ready to enter tank mode, they also aren’t willing to make a move that exclusively works in the short-term.
New York traded the rights to its first-round draft picks in 2010, 2012, 2014, and 2016. It’s been nine years since it drafted players in the first round of consecutive NBA Drafts, which has inevitably hindered its financial flexibility and long-term building strategy.
Not only have the Knicks been unable to create a sense of continuity in personnel development, but they’ve missed out on the opportunity to build with key players on rookie-scale contracts.
In turn, New York spent the better part of the past decade hoping that a cast of veterans pushing 30 would be able to come together and form a team with long-term potential.
It comes as no surprise that the Knicks have missed the playoffs more often than they’ve made it during that timeframe.
It’s worth noting that each of the Knicks’ past four first-round draft picks are still in the NBA. That includes 2018 All-Star Kristaps Porzingis, current Knicks starter Tim Hardaway Jr., former defensive specialist Iman Shumpert, and 2017-18 rookie Frank Ntilikina.
No matter how you may feel about the quality of said players, the value of cost-controlled contracts and long-term potential have been severely overlooked in New York City.
Must Read: Pros and cons of tanking after the 2018 NBA trade deadline
Thankfully, the New York Knicks aren’t going to execute a trade unless the long-term value justifies the cost at the 2018 NBA trade deadline.