Replacing Mitchell Robinson with Andre Drummond currently stands as the New York Knicks’ biggest offseason move. If their current roster-spot situation is any indication, this will change before opening night.
At a time when teams can carry up to 20 players, the Knicks have just 13. What’s more, they have zero of three two-way-contract slots plugged.
No other team in the league can say the same. Only the Miami Heat (12), Minnesota Timberwolves (13), Cleveland Cavaliers (13), Denver Nuggets (13), Golden State Warriors (13), and Sacramento Kings (13) have fewer than 14 roster spots filled. Yet, in every one of these cases, the squad has at least one two-way player under contract.
New York’s deviation is so far flying under the radar. But it is nevertheless significant. While many believe it’s about close proximity to the second apron, it may actually be proof that the Leon Rose-led front office is gearing up to make a more substantial deal than most expect.
The Knicks may be preparing to make a multi-player trade
Pretty much everyone understands the Knicks are light on expendable salary, and can’t take back more money than they receive in trades after hard-capping themselves at the second apron. Suggested big-man targets have reflected this reality at every turn.
Heck, the Knicks themselves have played into it. All along, the implication has been New York can’t acquire someone who earns more money than Deuce McBride, who makes just under $4 million, and is bound to find himself in the rumor mill with free agency on the horizon.
Sure, the Knicks could attach more money to him, such as the contracts for Tyler Kolek or Pacome Dadiet. But consolidating two or three players into one name would knife into their guaranteed-contract stores, and therefore their depth.
Except, maybe not.
The Knicks have the ability to sign-and-trade any of their two-way players from last season to another team as part of any deal. So, in theory, they could ink Trey Jemison III, Dillon Jones, or Kevin McCullar Jr. to a contract, and then immediately flip them to another team.
Adding that money to a package with Dadiet, Kolek, and/or McBride would then allow New York to take back a more expensive player. And while this doesn’t mean the team would be in line to land a $20 million rotation piece, it does suggest they have higher ambitions than we realize.
Let’s say, for instance, the Knicks sign-and-trade Jones and Jemison on minimum deals, and attach them to McBride. Sending out that much money would allow them to take back a player earning just over $9 million. That’s a big difference than if they were to trade Deuce alone, and it doesn’t force them to include someone like Kolek.
New York has done something like this before
If this sounds like yours truly is wearing a tinfoil hat and sunglasses, well, you’re not wrong. I’ve got a tinfoil pajama onesie, too.
At the same time, the Knicks have done something like this before. They signed and traded multiple players—Mamadi Diakite and Shake Milton—to help make the math work on the Mikal Bridges deal. What’s happening now could be a smaller extension of that process.
In fact, if you consider the granular ingenuity with which this front office usually works, we should almost expect it. And look, it makes sense.
Drummond is a fine replacement for Robinson, particularly at the minimum. But even with his three-point shooting, he comes with more limitations. There will be defensive matchups for which he cannot stay on the floor, and New York cannot hope to play him alongside Karl-Anthony Towns.
Backup options like Dylan Cardwell, Moussa Diabate, and Yves Missi could change that. They also happen to fit within the Knicks’ current tight salary structure. But someone like Dereck Lively II, Brook Lopez, Zach Edey, Jalen Smith, and others fit the bill, too. They just require more outgoing salary than the Knicks can feasibly cobble together with their current contracts.
Enter the roster-spot space. Maybe it’s a coincidence they have kept so many open. Or maybe, just maybe, they’re fueling up to pursue a more expensive trade target than we thought.
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