New York Knicks: NBA trade deadline winners and losers

Loser: Luke Kornet

The latest player to take Kanter’s starting spot, Luke Kornet entered the New York Knicks rotation and stuck for most of January, aside from an ankle injury. He stretched the floor in the frontcourt, something Robinson and Kanter couldn’t do.

This was a positive alternative for the offense. It didn’t lead to many wins, but it gave Fizdale something different to work with.

The Turkish big man is no longer around, however, so why is Kornet a “loser” after the trade deadline?

DeAndre Jordan isn’t on this roster to not play. Unlike Kanter, this is a defensive presence that has played crucial roles on playoff teams, and since the Knicks opted against a buyout or release, it’s difficult to think he won’t play.

That’s bad news for Kornet, especially as Jordan started the past two games. It already led to one absence via coach’s decision, and Kanter didn’t even play that night against the Detroit Pistons — New York’s most recent matchup.

It could become a trend. While Kornet offers three-point shooting, he’s a liability defensively and might not stick past season’s end, with an expiring contract that makes him a restricted free agent. That doesn’t mean he’ll never play, but Jordan and Robinson’s roles, and Noah Vonleh taking time as the man in the middle makes this problematic for the Vanderbilt product.