The New York Knicks look like a team primed to make some moves ahead of the 2022 NBA trade deadline. They have failed to replicate the success that they had during the 2020-21 season when they earned the No. 4 seed in the Eastern Conference and will be looking for ways to bring that success back.
The Knicks have already made one trade this season, acquiring Cam Reddish, along with Solomon Hill and a future first-round pick, from the Atlanta Hawks in exchange for Kevin Knox and a heavily protected 2022 first-round pick via the Charlotte Hornets. New York would like to create some space in its rotation to get Reddish minutes and to accomplish that a trade needs to get done.
Leon Rose, Scott Perry and William Wesley will be working the phones hard to find a deal that accomplishes both of those things. But, it is up for debate how big of a move the Knicks are going to look to make in season.
Heading into the 2021-22 campaign, anyone who said Julius Randle could be a trade candidate would have been looked at as if they had multiple heads. Randle was coming off of a career season in which he earned All-Star and All-NBA Second Team honors. He carried the team to the postseason, but things have quickly changed.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Top NBA Trade Deadline Destination: Fox, Covington, Dinwiddie, Gordon
Randle has not found the same success. Head coach Tom Thibodeau has admitted that he is struggling to get Randle to buy in this season and many believe the extension that he signed in the offseason worth $117 million is part of the reason.
Julius Randle believes he has to adjust his game to live up to that deal, but that is not the case. Winning games would make that deal worthwhile, but now there are rumors that the Knicks could be moving on from him.
Who would their target be? Sacramento Kings point guard De’Aaron Fox, according to Brian Windhorst. On Brian Windhorst & The Hoop Collective Show, Windhorst confirmed reports that the Knicks are interested in Fox and Randle would make sense as part of the return package.
“This has been reported elsewhere, but I’ve heard as well that the Knicks have shown some interest in De’Aaron Fox,” said Brian Windhorst on his podcast. “The player that makes the most sense in that swap is Julius Randle.”
The New York Knicks have been looking for a point guard seemingly since Walt Frazier was leading the offense. They had hoped the combination of Kemba Walker and Derrick Rose would be enough to get them through this season, but that has not been the case.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Top NBA Trade Deadline Destination: Fox, Covington, Dinwiddie, Gordon
Walker has had some great games, but more often than not has looked like a shell of himself. He has not scored in the last eight quarters he has played in. Rose is currently sidelined as he recovers from ankle surgery, which has forced Thibodeau to use players in positions they are not suited for.
Immanuel Quickley and Alec Burks have spent a lot of time at the point guard spot, but the results haven’t been great. Quickley still has some developing to do when it comes to his lead guard skills while Burks is better suited in an off-ball role as a secondary playmaker, not the main initiator of the offense.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Top NBA Trade Deadline Destination: Fox, Covington, Dinwiddie, Gordon
Adding a player such as De’Aaron Fox would help the New York Knicks in more ways than one. While he has some flaws to work out, at 24-years old, he would provide the Knicks their point guard of the future to grow along with their other young players in RJ Barrett, Quentin Grimes, Obi Toppin, Reddish and Mitchell Robinson.
