The 2021-22 season was a very disappointing one for the New York Knicks. After earning the No. 4 seed in the Eastern Conference last season, they regressed to the mean big time this season, failing to even qualify for the NBA Play-In Tournament.
As a result, this offseason could see some major changes when it comes to the roster. The need for a point guard is still paramount and should be atop their to-do list this offseason. If they can find a solution there, everything else will fall into place.
There is some good, young talent on this roster and a point guard would help bring it all together. But, if the opportunity arose, could the Knicks look to swing a big trade? Leon Rose and the front office have been positioning themselves to make a blockbuster deal with some of their transactions in recent years.
A lot of people will focus on the team potentially going after Donovan Mitchell of the Utah Jazz as he has been linked to them. Another name to keep an eye on is Anthony Davis. Bill Simmons believes if the Los Angeles Lakers are serious about shopping their All-Star, the Knicks might be willing to meet and go over the asking price.
“I think the Knicks would overpay for him. I think the Knicks are ready to dive in this summer. That’s my take.”
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This is a pretty lazy take by Simmons. The Knicks have had a track record of chasing stars and paying whatever it takes to land them, but that hasn’t been the case for years. Phil Jackson’s tenure was disastrous overall, but he didn’t hemorrhage draft capital in ill-advised trades. His shortcomings were poor free agent signings and head coach selections.
Leon Rose has stayed the course, stockpiling draft capital and not trading it away. It has put the Knicks in a good position overall. While some of the free-agent signings from 2021 didn’t pan out, the way they were structured means the Knicks can be buyers in free agency as early as 2023 again.
The Knicks are in a better spot right now than the Lakers are. New York has a ton of young talent to build around, draft capital, and moveable contracts. Los Angeles has LeBron James and that’s about it.
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If the Los Angeles Lakers want to trade Davis, New York should do some due diligence. But, they won’t be parting with any key members of the rotation, such as RJ Barrett, to bring Davis to The Big Apple. Julius Randle, Alec Burks, Evan Fournier, Kemba Walker, Nerlens Noel, and Derrick Rose are likely the pool of players that would be made available with a draft pick or two.
Gone, seemingly, are the days of the New York Knicks making a trade just to make a deal, acquiring a big name without a plan moving forward. Anthony Davis is extremely talented, but unless it is on their terms, the Knicks won’t be pushing to acquire him in a trade.
