There have been a lot of discussions about what the New York Knicks trade ahead of the 2024 NBA Trade Deadline will do for the team. They acquired Alec Burks and Bojan Bogdanovic from the Detroit Pistons, bolstering their rotation and depth for the stretch run of the season.
There is certainly no denying that the Knicks are a better team now than they were before the deadline. Burks and Bogdanovic fill all of the remaining holes they had on the team, as they are capable shot creators and excellent 3-point shooters.
Depth in the backcourt and at the forward position, which has been ravaged by injuries, was needed and Leon Rose came through. But, another important takeaway from the trade with the Pistons that hasn’t been discussed is the roster spots New York opened.
NBA NEWS & SCORES: Bojan Bogdanovic, OG Anunoby, Julius Randle, Leon Rose, William Wesley, New York Knicks Updates
By trading four players and bringing back only two, the Knicks are going to be players on the buyout market. Several veterans were waived following deadline deals that will soon become free agents and be able to latch on with contending teams.
Because the Knicks aren’t above the tax apron, they are free to sign any players who hit the buyout market. As Bobby Marks of ESPN shared, they are $2.5 million below the tax apron, giving them wiggle room not many teams in the NBA possess.
That is certainly a nice edge to have as the Knicks currently need some help on the roster. New York is already without OG Anunoby, Julius Randle and Mitchell Robinson. Isaiah Hartensten re-aggravated his Achilles soreness on Thursday night against the Dallas Mavericks and Jericho Sims has been dealing with an illness.
New York could certainly use some frontcourt help and should be able to entice a big man to join the team. Not only will they be joining an NBA contender, minutes and playing time could be available for the next few weeks.
NBA NEWS & SCORES: Bojan Bogdanovic, OG Anunoby, Julius Randle, Leon Rose, William Wesley, New York Knicks Updates
With two roster spots open, the Knicks can add some more insurance wherever they see fit on the roster. Want some more ball-handling insurance behind Jalen Brunson? Cory Joseph and Spencer Dinwiddie both hit the buyout market after the deadline.
Teams can never have enough 3-point shooting. Joe Harris was waived by the Detroit Pistons, and before his struggles this season, was one of the best shooters in the NBA. A familiar face in Marcus Morris Sr. could also shake loose after he was traded to the Indiana Pacers from the Philadelphia 76ers and re-routed to the San Antonio Spurs.
The Knicks will have plenty of options when it comes to rounding out their roster in the coming days. Expect them to be aggressive and look to make a move sooner rather than later, as they need some help keeping things afloat until they get some rotation players back in the lineup.
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