The New York Knicks are in the midst of a busy summer.
No move will be bigger than the blockbuster trade for Mikal Bridges, which brought the fourth Villanova Infinity Stone to New York to make the biggest bet on NBA friendship in league history. The deal cost them five first-round picks and a swap, but it adds a highly-coveted two-way wing to further equip this roster to do battle with the two-way players of the Boston Celtics.
Next came the OG Anunoby contract, a lucrative five-year, $213 million deal that was a staggering amount for a 3-and-d forward. He's certainly the best such non-star player in the league, but he is being paid like a star. The Knicks are hoping that this nucleus will fit together so well that Jalen Brunson can carry them to playoff success as the only on-ball star.
The New York Knicks have to expand this trade
Now that Isaiah Hartenstein has signed with the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Knicks will need to add another center (their faith in Mitchell Robinson seems to have waned) and, ideally, one more perimeter player who can create his own shot.
The problem is that they don't have the financial flexibility after the Bridges trade, which hard-capped them at the first luxury tax apron after they brought back more salary than they took back. If they can expand the deal slightly to send out more money, that will give them another $10.5 million in breathing space and open up pathways to improving the center situation.
What about the rest of the roster? The Knicks cannot afford to bring everyone back as they try to navigate a new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) and all of its financial restrictions and hard caps. Which players are as good as gone this summer?
Let's look at seven players who are almost certainly out the door, beginning with the prime candidates to be added to the Mikal Bridges trade.