Should Knicks be buyers or sellers at trade deadline?
With the trade deadline a little over a month away, it is time to start looking at what the Knicks could potentially do leading up to Feb. 9. Currently, the Knicks sit at 22-18 and are the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference.
This is about where most analysts predicted the Knicks would be in the standings, however, it certainly seems as if there’s plenty of room for improvement. Three players on the roster have not been receiving minutes for the majority of the season, yet would more than likely play roles on different teams, which makes it seem very likely that they will be traded.
In addition to this, there is plenty of young talent on the Knicks that could be moved in a potential trade for a superstar. With all of these possibilities, the question must be asked, “Should the Knicks be buyers or sellers at the trade deadline?”
It may seem like the Knicks are a move or two away from contending, but honestly, I don’t think they should be so fast to trade away half of their assets for one player, and here is why.
The Knicks should be buyers this deadline, just not for superstars
If the Knicks are given the chance to trade for a star at a price that won’t cripple the team’s future, they should take it. However, heading into this year’s trade deadline, I believe New York should be looking to add solid veterans or top-tier role players that fit the style of the team.
Players like OG Anunoby, Buddy Hield, Jakob Poeltl, and many others could all be made available at the deadline and all three of these players would fit the roster well.
The Knicks already have three ball-dominant players who have all been performing very well this season and have been a big part of the team’s success, so trading for a star who will take the ball away wouldn’t make much sense. Honestly, it has been the bench/role players who have not been living up to expectations.
Isaiah Hartenstein, Miles McBride, Derrick Rose, and Evan Fournier have all been disappointing this season in their own ways. If the Knicks can manage to move on from these players while also improving upon their respective positions, they should do it.
Even outside of those four, Cam Reddish has played quite well this season, yet for one reason or another, he has not been a part of the rotation since Dec. 4. While he doesn’t have star value, the Knicks could likely get more out of Reddish than the players I previously mentioned.
What I think the Knicks need to add to this roster are some off-ball, 3-and-D oriented players. This is something the team really lacks, hence why a guy like Anunoby could be a real game-changer. Not only is Anunoby hitting his threes at an about league-average clip, but he is also one of the best defenders in the NBA.
Anunoby certainly wouldn’t be cheap, but I would much rather trade assets for him than send half of the Knicks’ draft picks and roster for a player like Bradley Beal or Zach LaVine.
The Knicks simply do not need to add another ball-dominant star that will cost them half of their assets. It would be much wiser to apply said assets toward improving their depth because that is what has been hurting them the most recently.
If the Knicks are unable to get players like Anunoby, Hield, and Poeltl, they could settle for guys like Jae Crowder, Gary Harris, or others who would not only be relatively cheap but would add things that the Knicks bench needs.
