It's the first day of the New York Knicks offseason, but the "fun" will officially start when the NBA season ends. New York fans have been on star watch for the past few years, and this summer could be when a trade finally happens.
After achieving a 50-win season and coming up one win short of the Eastern Conference Finals with an injured roster, the Knicks don't need to act out of desperation. Leon Rose and the front office have pieced together a team that looked like a contender after the OG Anunoby trade on Dec. 30. If it weren't for injuries, who knows how the 2023-24 season would've ended?
Whatever happens, fans can trust the front office, which is still a bit weird to say after years of mismanagement. Just because a star becomes available doesn't mean New York will trade for him, as The Athletic's Fred Katz reported that the organization will be careful in its search (subscription required).
"The Knicks will search for the next great player, but they also will hope not to disrupt the culture that helped most of their roster to career years and encouraged the players to keep swinging, even as if they couldn’t feel their arms."Fred Katz, The Athletic
Knicks front office targeting 2024 offseason to trade for star
Katz pointed out that in 2025, "the Knicks will become more expensive" because of Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle's potential free agencies and the collective bargaining agreement. There isn't as much financial flexibility as there used to be, so 2024 is the time for New York to trade for a star.
There is no way of knowing who will be available. Kevin Durant, Paul George, and Donovan Mitchell entered their offseasons and could be on the table. Or, a surprise name will emerge, which is a possibility considering the NBA's dramatics.
The Knicks want to be very careful, though. Katz said that whoever New York gets, he must mesh well with Tom Thibodeau. The Knicks have targeted Thibodeau-minded players over the past couple of years, and it's worked out well for them.
The Athletic's Shams Charania reported last week that New York is expected to extend Thibodeau this summer as he enters the final year of his contract. He isn't going anywhere.
As it's been for the past couple of offseasons, it will be interesting to see what the Knicks do. They've held onto their treasure chest of draft assets, and this offseason could be when they cash them in.