NY Knicks: 4 potential trades with The Orlando Magic
By Adam Kester
NY Knicks add big-man depth/reclamation project with Mo Bamba
In this trade, both teams involved would be taking on a “Failed” lottery pick in hopes that they can develop on their 2nd NBA contract. It might be unfair to label both Mo Bamba and Frank Ntilikina as “Failures”, but they certainly haven’t lived up to their expectations coming into the league.
There are plenty of fans who would love to see Ntilikina thrive as a perimeter defender under Tom Thibodeau and the NY Knicks. The harsh reality is that it’s just hard for him to find consistent playing time, and rightfully so. At this point, we know he’s not going to be the starting point guard. Now with Immanuel Quickley and Derrick Rose in the mix, Ntilikina’s only significant playing time has come when multiple guards are injured.
Orlando could look at add more defense to their perimeter to help out guards Markelle Fultz and Cole Anthony, who are much more offensive minded. Ntikilina could find more playing time for them this season and beyond.
For the Knicks, the Harlem native Mo Bamba would give them some center depth they desperately need. Bamba has also struggled to find consistent playing time with the Magic, he’s averaged just over 10 minutes per game this season.
The Knicks have had to turn to Nerlens Noel and Taj Gibson while their starting center Mitchell Robinson has been sidelined due to injury. You can’t be upset with how Noel and Gibson have performed, but if the Knicks were to add Bamba it would give them some needed depth. What would happen if Gibson or Noel got hurt?
Bamba’s defense has been more than solid in his limited sample size. From Cleaning the Glass, Bamba’s block percentage ranks in the 90th percentile among all centers. It’s the offense that hasn’t been there for Bamba.
In many ways, Mo Bamba’s career to this point has mirrored Nerlens Noel’s. Maybe Bamba can still develop into an effective rim runner and offensive rebounder, but even if he doesn’t, he could become a terrific interior defender under Tom Thibodeau. Whether or not the Knicks find a hidden gem in Bamba, he’s certainly worth taking a flier on – He’d help in the short-term and potentially the long-term.