Following a playoff loss to the Miami Heat in the second round, the Knicks enter a pivotal offseason that could bring drastic changes to the team. It all depends on just how aggressive Leon Rose and the front office want to be.
While some players are more likely than not to be gone before the start of next season, things could get a little crazy. There very well could be some big-time stars on the trade market this offseason, meaning that fans could see some notable Knicks players shipped off.
3 New York Knicks players that could be traded this offseason
3. Julius Randle
Keep in mind that just because he is on the list, doesn’t mean that he is definitely going to be traded. Julius Randle’s odds of being traded are significantly lower than the other two players who have yet to be mentioned. That being said, it wouldn’t surprise fans one bit if Randle was traded away this offseason in order to bring in a player who’s a better fit.
Randle’s regular season success has been incredible to watch. However, his complete meltdowns in the playoffs are unacceptable and cannot continue. While Rose may bank on Randle to bounce back next season, this may not be the best idea.
Throughout Randle’s entire playoff career, he has shown zero flashes of being able to consistently put together good performances. It truly is not worth keeping him around over some amount of false hope. Despite this, there is a very real chance that this happens and Rose opts not to trade him.
Whether they trade Randle in a package for a star or shed his salary for a role player who is a much better fit, it seems like simply getting rid of him would be the best option for New York. Fans should love and appreciate what Randle has done for the Knicks but it may be time for his era in MSG to come to an end.
2. Obi Toppin
While Obi Toppin has shown some potential to be an incredible finishing talent in this league, it has become clear that he will not reach that potential in New York. Don’t get me wrong, a lot of Toppin’s struggles offensively aren’t his fault. However, Tom Thibodeau certainly doesn’t do him any favors with the way he uses him.
Regardless, it makes little sense to keep Toppin around, not only for the sake of the Knicks but for his career as well. Thibodeau cannot continue to misuse Toppin offensively when it would make so much more sense to trade him for a player who’s a better fit.
Whether they pair Toppin with another player’s contract to bring in someone like Buddy Hield or work a sign-and-trade for Trey Lyles, the Knicks have plenty of options when it comes to players they could ship Toppin off for.
Toppin has just one year left on his base rookie contract, and unless Thibs decides to randomly start using Toppin as a lob threat/slasher, he shouldn’t be kept around for his final year.
1. Evan Fournier
Fans were honestly surprised that Evan Fournier wasn’t traded at this year’s deadline, so it would really make sense to see him finally go this offseason. Fournier even said himself that he doesn’t expect to be with the Knicks next season.
"You know I'm not gonna be back. There's no way they're gonna keep me. I would be very surprised if they do. So we'll see. It's obviously not in my hands, though."
— Ian Begley (@IanBegley) May 13, 2023
Candid Evan Fournier talks past, present & future after NYK’s Game 6 loss: https://t.co/E0Iet0xOn9
Fournier’s tenure with New York has been far from ideal and while fans respect him as a person, they should also be glad to see him go. Not only will trading him likely open up some cap space, but the Knicks could also pair his contract with someone like Toppin’s in order to trade for a role player on a bigger contract.
The return for Fournier alone likely won’t be much at all, which is why fans very well could see him be part of a much bigger deal to match salaries. Regardless, the odds of him returning next season are slim to none.
When Fournier signed with the Knicks, many thought the team was getting one of the best three-point shooting wings in the league. However, what they got instead was an inconsistent offensive threat who was also a liability defensively. Hopefully, Fournier can make it work wherever he goes next.
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