Potential Trade Targets for the Knicks

If the Raps are willing to part with OG Anunoby, the Knicks are wise to get in on the bidding, as he is one of the more promising 3-and-D wings in the NBA.

We are now less than two weeks away from the February 9th trade deadline, which means the rumor mill will start working overtime.

Coming off a disappointing loss to the Nets in Brooklyn, but still sitting three games over .500 and seventh in the East, it seems safe to assume the Knicks will look to upgrade their roster as they make a push for the sixth seed, which would mean avoiding the play-in tournament.

New York has been recently linked to plenty of players throughout the league. Let's start with some high-profile names... 

Unlikely Big-Ticket Targets:

** Zach LaVine - Chicago Bulls: 
LaVine is playing much better of late after a disappointing start to the season and is one of the more skilled offensive players in the NBA. Yet, paying a king's ransom (and that is exactly what the Bulls would demand) for an injury-prone scorer who will turn 28 in March that doesn't bring a lot to the table defensively would not be a wise allocation of the Knicks' resources. Poor fit, and the price tag is too expensive. Pass. 

** OG Anunoby - Toronto Raptors: 
The Knicks were willing to offer multiple first-round picks for Anunoby earlier this season, according to Ian Begley of SNY. On Monday morning, Shams Charania of The Athletic reported the same info. However, I think a swap would only appeal to both sides if Toronto were enamored with RJ Barrett (a Toronto native). That being said, if the Raps are willing to part with Anunoby (who is just 24 years of age), the Knicks are wise to get in on the bidding, as he is one of the more promising 3-and-D wings in the NBA. 

** Kyle Kuzma - Washington Wizards:
I'll add Kuz to this list because, according to B/R's Eric Pincus, the Knicks are a "team to keep a close eye on with Kuzma" if he "makes it clear he desires a move." Pincus notes that Kuzma is represented by Austin Brown of CAA, who worked closely with Leon Rose before Rose left for New York. However, with Washington trading away Rui Hachimura last week, it seems they are determined to hold onto Kuzma past the deadline and plan to do what it takes to re-sign him this summer. 

** Bojan Bogdanovic - Detroit Pistons:
The 33-year-old Bogdanovic is averaging a career-high 21.2 points, but he's clearly not on the same timeline as the rest of the rebuilding Pistons. It's been reported that the Los Angeles Lakers, Dallas Mavericks, New Orleans Pelicans and Phoenix Suns are among the teams most interested in his services.    

I’m Listening, But What Would It Cost?

** Buddy Hield - Indiana Pacers:
The Knicks rank 24th in the league this season in three-point shooting percentage, having knocked down just 34.5% of their 3PT attempts. Hield leads the NBA in made treys this season by a wide margin (he's made 31 more triples than Steph Curry) and is shooting a blistering 42.7% from behind the arc. Buddy would clearly provide help in a category New York needs to address. He has one year left in his contract, which will pay him $19.2 million next season. 

** Gary Trent Jr. - Toronto Raptors:
Marc Stein reported in his latest Substack that it's unlikely the Raps will move either OG Anunoby or Pascal Siakam before the deadline and that Trent Jr. is the Raptor most likely to be moved. Trent Jr., who is just 24 years old, can be an unrestricted free agent this summer should he decline his $18.8 million player option for 2023-24.

** Chris Duarte - Indiana Pacers:
Duarte has struggled this season but has played better since re-entering the starting lineup. In a post last week, I detailed why it's difficult to envision the trio of Julius Randle, Tom Thibodeau and Obi Toppin all prospering together in New York. Consequently, the Knicks should seriously consider trading Toppin prior to the Feb. 9 deadline or risk losing significant leverage. One deal I thought made sense was sending Obi and Cam Reddish to the Pacers in exchange for Duarte and Jalen Smith.