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New York Knicks Rumors: What The Blockbuster Trade Means For Knicks and What’s Next As Trade Deadline Approaches?

As most NBA fans know by now, the Toronto Raptors and New York Knicks completed a blockbuster trade on Saturday. But to recap, the Knicks sent RJ Barrett, Immanuel Quickley, and a 2024 second-round draft pick (via Detroit Pistons) to the Raptors in exchange for OG Anunoby, Malachi Flynn, and Precious Achiuwa.

The trade is considered a win-win for both squads. So, what is next for the Knicks?

NBA Rumors: What The Blockbuster Trade Means For Knicks and What’s Next Move As Trade Deadline Approaches?

New York played on Saturday night and, predictably, lost as the Knicks were very short-handed. The Knicks fell to the Indiana Pacers despite receiving a career-high 38 points from Donte DiVincenzo. It was the Knicks (17-15) third straight loss and fourth in their last five.

While the trade is considered a win-win for both squads, it does leave the Knicks with options for the near and distant future to continue to improve the roster.  The Knicks sit in eighth place in the Eastern Conference, though they have plans to move into the top six by the end of the season.

So, when will the newcomers play for the Knicks?

New York hosts the Minnesota Timberwolves at 3 p.m. (ET) on Jan. 1. While none of the three newbies have practiced with the Knicks, they could play against the Timberwolves, according to coach Tom Thibodeau.

“I don’t know what the logistics of everything are yet,” Thibodeau told New York Newsday’s Steve Popper. “But whatever it is, we just gotta find a way.

Flynn has already been ruled out for the game with an ankle injury. But Anunoby and Achiuwa aren’t on the injury report. Whenever the trio does play, Anunoby will jump right into the starting five at small forward.

Why The Knicks Made The Trade?

Why did New York make the trade? There are a few reasons, including roster construction deficiency, that I discuss below.

But The Athletic’s Fred Katz said that swapping out Quickley was only a matter of time once the Knicks and his representative couldn’t reach a contract extension prior to the start of the season. According to Katz, the Knicks considered dealing Quickley to the Boston Celtics for Marcus Smart before he was sent to the Memphis Grizzlies.

“We’re ecstatic to welcome OG, Malachi, and Precious to the Knicks family,” Knicks president Leon Rose said in a statement. “OG, Malachi, and Precious are perfect additions to the type of team and culture we are building in New York.”

What OG Anunuoby Brings

What does the trade mean for New York?

Heading Into the season, the Knicks knew that they had a frontcourt depth issue, with size being the biggest issue. The frontcourt took a huge hit, with Mitchell Robinson expected to miss the remainder of the season with an ankle injury. Robinson was arguably the Knicks’ best defender and arguably most athletic player besides being just one of three players 6-10 or taller — before New York inked 7-0 footer Dmytro Skaptintsev to a two-way contract.  Robinson has been out since December 9, while Jericho Sims has missed six straight games, though he was active on Saturday night.

New York is just 5-6 since Robinson’s injury.  With Robinson in the lineup, the Knicks were 11th in offense rating, ninth in defensive rating, and had a +3.3 scoring margin. However, without Robinson, the Knicks are given up 122.2 points per 100 possessions (5th most), which is 10.3 points worse than with him. While the Knicks’ offense has been just as efficient without Robinson, they have still been outscored by 2.1 points a game during this 11-game stretch.

Anunoby is known as one of the best defenders in the league, so the Knicks should see a significant bump in efficiency on that end. The 2022-23 NBA all-defensive second-team selection is very long and active, which inherently causes problems for opposing players. He has quick hands and is very athletic, which allows him to come up with steals and blocks. More Importantly, Anunoby always guards the opponents’ best player. Meanwhile, Barrett is known as a liability on the defensive end.

Offensively, Anunoby is not the explosive offensive player that Barret is. But the 26-year-old is more consistent and a far better shooter, especially from deep.  He is also a highly efficient finisher at the rim.

“I think what OG has done and what he has shown is, one, he has positional size,” Thibodeau said. “Two, he can guard multiple positions. Three, he’s a terrific three-point shooter so he can space the floor. He’s also good in transition, very good finishing. And he’s young, so he still has a lot of development left in his game.”

Knicks Defensive Rebounding Issue

Part of the problem Knicks‘ defensive problem during Robinson’s absence has been the job they have done on the glass and rim protection. The Knicks are outrebounding their opponents by four boards a game but rank 20th in defensive rebounds and 29th in blocked shots. The Knicks led the NBA in defensive rebound percentage (74.2%) with Robinson in the lineup.

But without the big man, the Knicks have grabbed 69.8% (eighth-worst) of all boards on that end. Julius Randle is the Knicks’ best defensive rebounder, but his rebounding numbers are down 4% without  Robinson in the lineup. The reason could be two-fold. First, while Robinson is not a great defensive rebounder, his presence allows others to be in a better position to grab the boards. Another possibility is that Randle has had to play center more often without Robinson, and he doesn’t match up well as a five-man.

Isaiah Hartenstein, a better offensive rebounder than a defensive rebounder, has started the last six games, and Randle’s and Josh Hart‘s defensive rebounding numbers have increased. In the previous six games, Hartenstein averaged nearly 31 minutes, while Taj Gibson saw about  14 minutes a contest with Sims sidelined. This allows Randle to spend most of his minutes at his natural power forward spot and Hart, technically the Knicks’ backup power forward, to play on the wing.

Gibson is an excellent teammate and can give the Knicks a few minutes a game, but that is about all at 38 years old. Meanwhile, Sims has looked out of sorts this year.

Precious Achiuwa and Malachi Flynn’s Projected Role

This is where Achiuwa steps in. Achiuwa will likely take up the role of backup center and power forward, although he has started 44 career games, with Sims being the third big off the bench. The 24-year-old is a little undersized for a center, but his athleticsm is off the chart-types. He is also an outstanding rebounder and capable defender. From a Knicks perspective, his defensive ability and the fact that he has grabbed 20% of all defensive boards in each of his four seasons is essential.

Offensively, Achiuwa is the most aggressive big man the Knicks have, other than Randle. While he is not overly efficient, Achiuwa is more than just a dunker and low-post threat. He can slash to the basket and space out the floor, being a career 31.4% 3-point shooter.

On the other hand, Flynn seems to have a tougher path to playing time with the Knicks, despite Quickley’s departure opening a backcourt spot off the bench.  Flynn is a reliable backup point guard who can run an offense and distribute the ball. A little undersized, Flynn holds his own defensively, though he is not a shooter.

However, DiVincenzo appears to have a hold on the backup point guard spot, though Hart can also run the offense. Quickley’s departure will likely result in more playing time for Quentin Grimes. Grimes began the season as the Knicks’ starting shooting guard, but he started slowly. Since being moved to the bench, Grimes has played much better. In those 11 games, he averages 6.5 points with a shooting slash line of .435/.419/.000.

Miles McBride Extension

Flynn may even find himself behind Miles McBride. McBride signed a three-year, $13 million extension with the Knicks on Saturday night, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

All three years of McBride’s extension are fully guaranteed, and his salary will decrease each season, a source told Stefan Bondy of The New York Post.

McBride has received sparse action over his first two seasons. The 23-year-old averages 2.1 points with a shooting slash line of .517/.421/.500 in 5.3 minutes over 19 appearances.

Knicks Expected To Remain Active In Trade Market

In addition to bringing in the three newcomers, the Knicks waived DaQuan Jeffries to create a roster space. Jeffries’ deal was to be guaranteed on Jan.7, so they saved a little money there.

The Knicks also created a $5.2 million trade exception and are now $5.1 million below the NBA tax line.  So, the Knicks don’t only have assets in terms of players and draft capital but also plenty of maneuverability room.

Michael Scotto of HoopsHype reports that he was told the Knicks will remain active in the trade market this season.

“New York got the big wing defender they were searching for, and I also think this means they’re not done yet,” an NBA executive told HoopsHype. “They have to add another creator or scoring type of player, or they’re going to run [Jalen] Brunson into the ground.”

“It’ll be interesting to see how long it’ll be before the Knicks make another move,” another NBA executive told HoopsHype. “There’s not a lot of shot creation for other players on the roster now, and there’s a lot of pressure on Brunson. I get why New York made the trade. The team was playing selfishly. Anunoby is a better fit with what they have than Barrett.”

Scotto said one name to watch is Atlanta Hawks’ Dejounte Murray. The Knicks were reportedly targeting Murray along with Anunoby.

Scotto added that since New York didn’t deal any of their eight tradeable first-round picks in the trade with Toronto, they will continue to dangle them along with Evan Fournier‘s expiring $18 million contract.

I don’t see the Knicks doing a trade for Murray, at least during the season, now that Anunoby is on board. However, that may change in the offseason. But I really don’t see Murray’s fit as the roster is currently constructed unless there is a package deal. Murray signed a four-year extension with the Hawks this past summer, and he is represented by Klutch Sports, who has made it clear they prefer not to do business with the Knicks.

While I foresee New York eventually trading or buying out Fournier, trading Randle during the season doesn’t make sense. But if they can deal package him with draft picks for a star big man — like Joel Embiid or Karl-Anthony Towns — in the offseason, why not do it?

Who Else Are The Knicks Reportedly Interested In?

There are several other players who have been linked to the Knicks for a while, like Donovan Mitchell. Mitchell is under contract with Cleveland thru next season. He has a player option for the 2025-26 season. But if the Cavs don’t make the playoffs, they may be willing to trade him in the offseason.

Utah Jazz big man Kelly Olynyk could also be a target for the Knicks, according to NBA Insider Marc Stein.

In another article, Katz looked at the big men the Knicks could target. Katz named Andre Drummond, Clint Capela, Nick Richards, and Daniel Gafford among the players they could target.

Other Things

  • With the trade, the Knicks know they potentially have 10 players locked up for next year. However, Anunoby is expected to opt of his $19.9 million 2024-25 player option. The Knicks own Anunoby’s Bird rights. However, there is thought that they had a “secret agreement” with Anunoby’s agent, who happens to be Rose’s son.

  • By the end of June, the Knicks must decide whether to make qualifying offers to Achiuwa ($6.27 million) and Flynn ($5.8).
  • New York projects to have $9.6 million in cap space this summer. The Knicks have two trade exceptions totaling over $11 million and their gaggle of first-rounder choices. The Knicks probably will own two of the four potential first-rounders in 2024.
  • Hartenstein is arguably the Knicks’ other prominent 2024-25 unrestricted free agent.

 

Daniel Benjamin

Daniel Benjamin

Daniel Benjamin is passionate about all things basketball, especially evaluating talent and analyzing teams, whether the NBA, college basketball, WNBA, G-League or women's college basketball. He also loves to provided insights and gambling incites on basketball.

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