After missing out on star guard Donovan Mitchell, many New York Knicks fans are hungry for more, meaning that they are already looking into other stars who could potentially look to seek a trade out of their current situation.
Personally, I would like to see what this Knicks team can do before they make a blockbuster trade, but it is still a possibility that we could see the front office pull off a move sooner rather than later.
Obviously, I don’t know what direction the front office wants to go in, and no one does besides them. However, depending on which way they decide to go, we could see them make moves to either rebuild or re-tool the current roster. It is all a matter of what the front office deems the right thing to do.
3 players the Knicks could potentially trade for this season
3: Bojan Bogdanovic
With the Utah Jazz entering a rebuilding phase, rumors have been circulating surrounding their willingness to move on from veteran forward Bojan Bogdanovic. If the Knicks were to do this deal, they would likely need to move on from Julius Randle.
Obviously, this type of deal is not the kind you do if you’re rebuilding. However, Bogdanovic is not only a much more efficient scorer than Randle, but his fit with the team is exponentially better. So while this is not a rebuilding move, the Knicks would be taking on a cheaper, older player, who is also on a shorter contract.
What’s the downside of this kind of trade? New York would likely have to forfeit one of its many first-round picks in order to get rid of Randle’s large contract. While they would likely have to do that in any deal involving Randle, the way the Jazz have been structuring trades recently shows that they value picks more than anything.
With that in mind, I believe this deal would benefit New York. Bogdanovic may not be a great defender, but neither is Randle. In addition to this, the three-point shooting that Bogdanovic would provide could be huge for the team. Outside of Evan Fournier and Quentin Grimes, the Knicks do not have many consistent three-point shooters.
It will be very interesting to see if the Knicks decide to go in this direction. As unsure as I am on whether keeping Randle is the right move or not, the shooting and fit that Bogdanovic brings to the table is very tantalizing.
2: Jae Crowder
I don’t mean to make this a “trade Julius at all costs” type of article, but I don’t think there is any player on the Knicks more likely to get traded other than Randle.
With that being said, after a report was released stating the Suns were looking to trade for a “post-up power forward,” I wrote an article putting out a potential trade that would send Randle to the Suns in return for Jae Crowder, Dario Saric, and some picks.
The response was very 50/50, with some Knicks fans liking the idea of moving on from Randle’s contract for a better fit and picks, but with others disliking it as they believe Randle is more valuable. From a statistical standpoint, Julius is more valuable and he is definitely a better player than Crowder. However, the value Crowder brings on the defensive side of the ball, combined with his shaky, yet still very solid three-point shooting could benefit New York.
In this scenario, Crowder would come off the bench and provide the team with valuable minutes while third-year player Obi Toppin would finally be a full-time starter.
We have seen what Toppin is capable of when given big minutes. If this is something that can become more consistent, Toppin will become a very, very good player in this league.
This scenario is a lot of “ifs.” However, I am a big believer in Toppin and his potential and would like to see the Knicks take advantage of what’s in front of them.
1: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
This is the least likely trade to occur out of the three. However, with the way the Thunder have rebuilt in recent years, anything is possible. One thing is certain, and it’s that the Knicks definitely have the assets to pull this deal off.
Personally, I’d much rather keep our young core and see what they can do, but to have a player like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on the Knicks is nice to think about. It is unknown what a potential package would look like, but knowing Sam Presti, it would likely require a lot of first-round picks.
Adding a player like Gilgeous-Alexander would likely give New York its best player since Carmelo Anthony. That may not be saying much, but it would still be huge for the team.
With the 2023 draft class seeming like it could hold some of the best prospects in recent memory, the Thunder could look to enter full tank mode and possibly trade their best player. If this becomes the plan, there is a very good chance the Knicks would go all-in to snag the 24-year-old, especially after missing out on Donovan Mitchell.
Who knows what the Knicks’ front office is looking to do at this point. Will they stay complacent and roll with what they have like most fans, including myself, want them to do? Or will they throw away the young core in order to add a potential star? Only time will be able to tell.
For now, however, all we can do is speculate as to what the front office’s plan could be.
3 reasons the Knicks should trade for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
With Donovan Mitchell now in Cleveland, the Knicks may pivot to other potential trade options. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander could be the next man up in New York.