The New York Knicks need frontcourt upgrades. With Mitchell Robinson still out with an ankle injury, New York has had little support behind Karl-Anthony Towns at the five.
The Knicks could pursue Jonas Valanciunas at the trade deadline
The Knicks will likely be in the mix for some key depth players at the Feb. 6 trade deadline. While it is unlikely that they make a major trade that would shift the entire rotation, they could make a trade for a highly impactful big man who is durable.
James L. Edwards III of The Athletic proposed a mock trade in which the Knicks acquire Jonas Valanciunas from the Washington Wizards in exchange for the oft-injured Robinson and two second-round draft picks:
“My logic here is that the Knicks get a regularly available and steady veteran center who would immediately be a frontcourt upgrade off the bench (assuming Robinson isn’t close to being the player he once was). New York has some second-round picks to spare, so while it’s not ideal to attach assets to move off Robinson, it’s not the end of the world, either. New York would also shave a few million off of its payroll with this move,” Edwards wrote.
Valanciunas, 32, is in his 13th NBA season and his first with the Wizards. He has primarily come off the bench for them this season and is averaging 11.6 points and 8.2 rebounds in approximately 20 minutes per game.
Bringing him to New York would give the Knicks a versatile big with durability. Prior to this season, he had appeared in at least 62 games every season since 2019, and played in fewer games than that just one time in his lengthy career.
Valanciunas is an offensive upgrade over Robinson
Additionally, Valanciunas is a better offensive player than Robinson, as he works well in the low post and can shoot the occasional three-pointer. Robinson, meanwhile, is limited to dunks and putbacks for the most part.
Moving on from Robinson does have some downsides, however. When he is healthy, he is an incredible interior force below the basket, and he provides exactly what the Knicks are missing as a team right now. Rim protection and rebounding have been issues for them this season, and Robinson is a premier shot blocker and was the league’s top offensive rebounder last season.
However, health is the main concern with Robinson. Considering that his injury history is only continuing to grow, banking on him to stay healthy for an extended period of time is quite a tall task. The Knicks will need to decide if they can ensure that he will stay on the court when, or if, he returns this season.
If they feel that an injury risk is too great, moving him for another big man like Valanciunas could solve a lot of problems in the frontcourt.