A few days prior to the Thursday trading deadline, the Knicks sit at 29-26 and are the 7th seed in the Eastern Conference. New York remains a half game behind the Miami Heat for the coveted 6th seed to avoid the play-in tournament. The trade deadline allows teams a chance to assess themselves and decide what direction they want to put themselves in for the remainder of the season.
The Knicks will most likely make the playoffs, but at this point they are not considered to be true contenders for a championship. However, there is not a team in the East that has proven to be an overwhelming favorite. The Celtics, Bucks and 76ers appear to be a in tier above the rest of the conference but the Knicks have beaten both the Celtics and 76ers in the past 10 days. This does not mean that New York is on the level of those two teams, but it should show the Knicks’ front office that the top teams may not be that far out of reach.
With that being said, there is most likely no trade scenario that will put the Knicks in the immediate discussion with the aforementioned teams. There are trade possibilities though that would push New York a bit closer to the top teams. And without a true favorite in the East, the right trade could make the Knicks a dangerous team come playoff time.
Josh Richardson
A bench wing has been a position the Knicks have been searching for the entirety of the season. Cam Reddish and Evan Fournier have both been completely removed from the rotation, and although Fournier had an impressive performance against the 76ers on Sunday, it seems unlikely that one good performance will re-insert him into the rotation permanently. And even if Fournier's shot has improved, his defense remains a large question mark.
Josh Richardson may provide an answer for both of those issues. Richardson has been a stout perimeter defender for the entirety of his eight-year career, as he moves well laterally and provides a solid frame to defend both guards and forwards. He has also developed a solid three-point shot in the past few years as he shot 41.5 percent last year, and 36.5 percent this year.
Although that drop in percentage may seem concerning, for the majority of last season he played for the Celtics in which most of his attempts were catch and shoot opportunities. He is now on the Spurs which has made his volume of shots rise as he does not have much talent around him. On the Knicks he would play a similar role to Quentin Grimes which would give Richardson much cleaner looks than he currently gets.
Another positive for a Richardson deal is he only has one year remaining on his contract, so the Spurs will probably not be looking for immense value in return. Reddish could be a player the rebuilding Spurs have interest in. If they are not interested in Reddish, they could be intrigued by taking on a salary dump like Fournier's contract with draft compensation involved. Regardless, Richardson certainly has a high possibility of being moved, and is a player the Knicks should have their eyes on as Thursday approaches.
Monte Morris
Monte Morris does not have a high chance of being moved this deadline. The Wizards to this point have maintained that they are content with building around their current core of Bradley Beal, Kristaps Porzingis, and Kyle Kuzma. The one interesting factor in that is Kuzma and Porzingis both have player options this year. At this point, it seems likely both will opt out and seek new deals. If the Wizards get the indication in the coming days that they will not be able to work out and extension with both players come the offseason, that could open the door to a Morris trade.
One of the issues the Knicks have had this season is finding offense when Jalen Brunson is off of the floor. After Brunson, New York does not have a real facilitator of the offense at the guard position. As a result, that responsibility falls into the hands of Julius Randle. Randle has the ability to facilitate the offense, however it is not his strong suit. He has really played his best basketball of his career this year with Brunson on the floor. Morris could provide a similar level of facilitation that is lacking without Brunson on the court.
After being traded to the Wizards in the offseason, Morris has become the starting point guard and has been a very solid one for the Wizards. He is averaging 10.5 points and 5.4 assists on an efficient 47.6 percent from the field and 39.6 percent from the three point line. He also leads the entire NBA in assist to turnover ratio with a 5.6. Morris would be an incredible option off the bench as he could play every minute that Brunson is off the court, and he could easily play with Brunson for a few minutes as well.
If the Wizards are willing to negotiate a Morris trade, it would not be a cheap price for the Knicks. Morris is making about $9 million this year and next year, so Washington has no pressure to move him now. As a result, New York would most likely have to move one of Obi Toppin, Quentin Grimes, or Immanuel Quickley. A Morris trade at this point is highly unlikely, but could make a lot of sense if it becomes possible.
OG Anunoby
The Raptors have made it clear that they will be selling at the deadline, and one of the most sought after players from Toronto will be OG Anunoby. To this point numerous teams have shown interest, such as the Pacers, Pelicans, Grizzlies, Blazers, Suns, and the Knicks.
There is more than good reason for that interest, as the 25-year old has been an elite defender for his entire career at both forward positions while also taking a huge step forward offensively. Anunoby is averaging 17 points and 5.5 rebounds on 45.7% from the field and 36.6% from the three. He is the ideal wing player in today's NBA and with him being under contract for this year and next year, there is no shortage of interest around the league.
Because of this widespread interest, it is going to cost a fairly high price to land Anunoby. There have been reports that the Raptors are seeking a package resembling the haul the Jazz got for Donovan Mitchell this past offseason. While that seems unlikely, the price will still be very high which is something that could halt the Knicks in their pursuit.
The Raptors will most likely be seeking two of three of Toppin, Quickley and Grimes as well as multiple first round picks. For the Knicks, the picks are probably less of a concern as they own their own 1st this year as well as protected 1sts from the Mavericks, Pistons, and Wizards. The real issue would be trading multiple valuable rotation players. Each of the previously mentioned players plays important roles in an already thin New York rotation. Moving two of those players may do more damage than good for this team.
Another important factor New York will have to consider in an Anunoby trade is if they believe a core of Brunson, Barrett, Anunoby, and Randle are enough to compete for a championship. Trading for Anunoby right now would cost the Knicks heavily in their ability to make a future move, so if they do not believe this move puts them into title contention, it may be more responsible to hold onto their draft picks and young talent.
On the other hand, the East is certainly open for contention, and if the Knicks are able to only move one of Toppin, Quickley, or Grimes, then it could be worth pulling the trigger. The Knicks would certainly still lack a true superstar that many believe is a necessity to win in the NBA, however New York would be one of the deepest starting lineups in the league with Anunoby. The prospect of Anunoby in a Knicks uniform is a tantalizing possibility, but with the widespread interest across the league, the Knicks must be careful to not overpay for him.
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