The New York Knicks are right in the thick of things in the playoff picture in the Eastern Conference. They are in the mix for one of the top-six seeds to avoid the NBA Play-In Tournament as they have played some very good basketball in recent weeks.
Looking to continue their ascent up the standings, the Knicks have made their first trade of the season. According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, New York is acquiring wing Josh Hart from the Portland Trail Blazers in exchange for Cam Reddish and a protected future first-round pick.
According to Sam Vecenie and Fred Katz of The Athletic, the Knicks are also sending Svi Mykhailiuk and Ryan Arcidiacano to Portland. That will give New York multiple open roster spots to make another deal that brings back multiple players or make moves on the buyout market.
According to Wojnarowski, the lottery-protected pick is a 2023 first-rounder. If that selection does not convey to Portland, it will turn into four second-round picks. The Knicks had three first-round picks in the 2023 NBA Draft with protections from the Washington Wizards, Detroit Pistons and Dallas Mavericks in addition to their own.
Hart will provide the Knicks with another versatile player capable of getting the job done on both ends of the court. He can defend multiple positions as he is athletic enough to stick on the perimeter but strong enough to handle himself in the post against bigger opponents.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Josh Hart, Portland Trail Blazers, Cam Reddish & New York Knicks Updates
Where he fits into Tom Thibodeau’s rotation is tough to pinpoint. Thibodeau has been running a tight nine-man lineup for the last two months and it would be hard to imagine any of them being removed from it given how well the team has played.
The one thing that the Knicks have been lacking was a true wing and Hart will fill that void. He provides the team with some insurance behind RJ Barrett and Quentin Grimes while also being a player capable of playmaking and elite rebounding.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Josh Hart, Portland Trail Blazers, Cam Reddish & New York Knicks Updates
For the Trail Blazers, they are getting a player in Cam Reddish that is oozing with potential but things didn’t pan out in New York. When he requested a trade from the Atlanta Hawks before the 2021-22 season, he was hoping to land with a team that would provide him with a larger role. The Knicks didn’t provide him that, but the Trail Blazers very well could.
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