Now that the 2023 trade deadline is less than a month away, it’s time for New York Knicks fans to start preparing themselves for whatever may happen in the next few weeks. Unsurprisingly, New York has been labeled one of the more active teams on the trade market.
The question of whether or not the Knicks should be buyers or sellers has been discussed, but regardless, there are a few players that the team should move on from ahead of the deadline. With New York in a search to bring a star to MSG though, players like Zach LaVine and OG Anunoby are players that fans should be monitoring, too.
As the rumors continue to swirl, here are three trade deadline possibilities that fans should go ahead and brace themselves for.
3 NBA trade deadline possibilities Knicks fans should prepare for
3: Not finding a suitor for Evan Fournier
Evan Fournier was booted from the rotation by Tom Thibodeau and didn’t play for over a month, but the guard was given another opportunity to play after Jalen Brunson and RJ Barrett suffered injuries.
In his first game back, he scored 11 points (4-of-6) in 17 minutes but hasn’t hit more than two three-pointers in a game. Although Fournier broke the Knicks’ single-season record for three-pointers made in a season in 2021-22, his inconsistency is what removed him from the rotation along with his poor defense.
He’s set to make $18.9 million in 2023-24 before having a $19 million club option in 2024-25. For playoff-hopeful teams that need another shooter, Fournier is a player that should be considered. However, as mentioned, there’s enough to keep suitors away.
A few weeks ago on Brian Windhorst’s podcast, the ESPN analyst said that New York isn’t looking to shed salary ahead of the deadline and that to his knowledge, the Knicks haven’t considered attaching a pick to Fournier to move on from his contract. If Fournier remains on the roster past the deadline, New York could then move him during the offseason when he’ll be on an expiring contract. If Fournier isn’t moved in the coming weeks, it won’t be the end of the world.
2: Trading for Zach LaVine
Because the Knicks are loaded with a treasure chest of draft picks, the team is going to be linked to any star that is rumored to become available. Although the Bulls have started to slightly turn their season around as of late, the Zach LaVine trade rumors haven’t dropped off.
Shams Charania of The Athletic (subscription required) reported on Dec. 20 that according to sources close to Chicago, the Bulls and LaVine “are not seeing eye to eye.” The Bulls are currently No. 10 in the East, which is below where they were expected to be.
If Chicago does decide to explore offers for LaVine, a trade wouldn’t come cheap, which is a big part of the reason why many Knicks fans want to stay away from that idea. His injury history is one of the biggest concerns given that the 67 games he played last season were the most since the 82 games he played during 2015-16. When you pair that with the five-year, $215 max contract that he signed during the offseason, it makes sense for fans to want the Knicks to not pursue LaVine. After all, is he the star that New York should want?
Even then, there seems to at least be a small possibility that LaVine will be traded in the coming weeks, and because of that, Knicks fans should go ahead and prepare for that notification to pop up on their phones.
1: Trading Obi Toppin
If the Knicks were to trade Obi Toppin, it wouldn’t necessarily be a surprise because his name has been brought up in rumors, but it would still be a lot for fans to take in. The 2020 lottery pick hasn’t gotten a fair shot since being drafted by New York and part of the reason for that is Toppin’s rookie season lined up with Julius Randle’s All-Star season.
But of course, the main reason for Toppin not seeing the floor more is Tom Thibodeau. It’s well known that Thibodeau loves his veteran players, but he likes to keep Toppin on a short leash. It doesn’t matter how well Toppin performs, his playing time isn’t going to reflect that. As much as it may pain fans to hear, Toppin would likely be better off elsewhere on a team where he’d be given the increased role that he deserves.
It would take some time to process the Knicks trading Toppin, but it’s a move that would at least make sense. Depending on what New York could get in return for him, Toppin might be entering his final weeks as a Knick.
If Obi ends up being dealt, fans will always think about what could’ve been, especially if he ends up shining with his new team. At this point, it seems as if what’s best for Toppin would be a trade. Randle is playing at a high level and could very well earn his second All-Star honor. Based on how Thibodeau operates, things aren’t exactly looking good for Toppin.
At the very least, fans should go ahead and brace themselves for a Knicks team that no longer includes Obi Toppin.
Ranking Bleacher Report’s top 3 Knicks trade targets ahead of deadline
The Knicks are in need of two things at the trade deadline: shooting and defense. A recent B/R article listed three options, some better than others.