Rumors surrounding the New York Knicks’ trade-deadline intentions continue to emphasize their prospective pursuit of another ball-handler, and a backup big. Yet, while these might be among the team’s biggest needs, neither is the most pressing one.
New York’s actual biggest need is another bigger wing. Not an OG Anunoby-type, per se, but someone who can help out with his workload—particularly on the defensive end.
Veritable reports and speculation do not argue against this point. That’s mostly because wings don’t even seem to register when talking about the Knicks’ trade plans.
James L. Edwards III of The Athletic recently wrote about what the team might do. Though he sees them waiting out other developments before making any decisions, the team appears to be spotlighting reserve guards and bigs in its preliminary searches. Edwards even provides potential trade targets to match: Ayo Dosunmu, Jose Alvarado, and Marvin Bagley III—two guards, and a big.
The Knicks are thinner on wings than most seem to realize
It’s easy to gloss over New York’s secondary-wing ranks when their primary ones are so good. Anunoby, Mikal Bridges, and Josh Hart are all 32-plus-minute-per-game players. They have a lion’s share of the wing rotation spoken for.
Still, at full strength, all three of them are in the starting lineup. That leaves the Knicks with zero reliable wings coming off the pine.
Landry Shamet’s shoulder injury has him on the shelf for an indefinite period of time, and he’s not really a wing anyway. Mike Brown is starting to give more run to rookie Mohamed Diawara, a potential defensive gem, but no contender can afford to count on a 20-year-old who’s played more than five minutes just three times all season.
Anyone who comes off the bench behind Anunoby, Bridges, and Hart isn’t going to have a huge role. That doesn’t make finding another wing any less of a priority.
Right now, the Knicks’ defense is entirely contingent upon Anunoby’s health. He cleans up so much that most, myself included, can’t even clock in real time. New York’s defensive rating improves by 9.1 points with him on the court. That is one of the 10 largest boosts in the league among nearly 200 players who have logged at least 500 minutes.
Anunoby is the single biggest reason why the Knicks’ defense is better with Karl-Anthony Towns on the floor. Mike Brown borderline refuses to play the big man without the combo wing by his side. New York also doesn’t even sniff a league-average defense when Hart or Bridges plays without OG.
Wings will do more for the Knicks than bigs or guards
This dependence on Anunoby isn’t going anywhere no matter who the Knicks pursue on the trade market. But landing a wing both deepens and, equally important, diversifies the rotation.
Hart’s shooting isn’t a problem now. That could change in the postseason. If and when it does, the Knicks must currently pivot to a dual-big frontcourt, or a three-guard lineup. It can’t maintain its three-wing setup unless Diawara is a staple.
Acquiring another body standing 6’7” or taller opens up more options. It doesn’t have to be a big name, either. Someone in the realm of Justin Champagnie, Saddiq Bey, or Ochai Agbaji fits the bill relative to how many minutes the full-strength Knicks will have available. Anyone along these lines also allows New York to roll out four wings around KAT or Robinson in secondary lineups.
Prioritizing this will do more for the Knicks than a backup point guard or center. Tyler Kolek is staking his claim to the former responsibility. And if we’re being honest, a backup big better than Guerschon Yabusele could probably be plucked off the buyout market later this season.
A lot can change between now and the trade deadline. As currently constructed, though, the Knicks’ need to chase a bigger wing won’t.