With the trade deadline just around the corner, it is time to start wondering what the New York Knicks will do this season. While they have a great team and are set to compete in the Eastern Conference, they are still a relatively incomplete team that is in great need of some bench depth.
Mock trade has Knicks parting with Mitchell Robinson in exchange for depth
Mitchell Robinson has yet to play a game this season while he nurses an ankle injury, and it is still unclear when, or if, he will return. Therefore, trade rumors have circulated to bring in depth pieces that are available to contribute immediately.
SNY’s David Vertsberger proposed a three-team mock trade between the Knicks, Bulls, and Warriors that would cause big changes to all three teams. For the Knicks, they would be moving Robinson and fellow trade candidate Jericho Sims for a pair of depth players, while the Warriors would get the most marketable star in the deal. The trade reads as follows:
Knicks get: Kevon Looney, Kyle Anderson
Bulls get: Mitchell Robinson, Jericho Sims, Gary Payton II
Warriors get: Nikola Vucevic
“The Knicks’ best path to cap clearance for depth pieces may be via a three-team trade. In this iteration, Vucevic goes to Golden State, and New York gets a couple of their deeper rotation guys,” Vertsberger wrote. “Looney is a dependable five who does all the little things that would open up doors for this team: screening, boxing out, and rebounding. Anderson has been in and out of the rotation but is a veteran wing who can impact the game in a variety of ways.”
Looney and Anderson could be key depth pieces for the Knicks
Looney was on the Knicks’ radar during the offseason and has been tabbed as a potential fit off of their bench. This season with the Warriors, he is averaging 5.1 points and 6.8 rebounds primarily coming off the bench.
Looney is not a game-changing big man, but he is a reliable one who provides added physicality and a veteran presence. Looney has spent his entire career with the Warriors and was a crucial part of their late 2010s dynasty. He started 13 playoff games in their 2022 championship run, and he averaged 5.8 points and 7.6 rebounds in 22 total games.
Anderson would purely be a depth addition for the Knicks, as they have virtually no wings to back up OG Anunoby and Josh Hart. Another veteran who can make an impact, Anderson can be a glue guy who comes off the bench and gives the starters some extra rest.
Losing Robinson would take away a great rebounder and good interior defender, but the Knicks may not be able to bank on his health much more. With the uncertainty surrounding his health, the Knicks need to ensure that they can have valuable players who are durable at their disposal.
Ultimately, it remains to be seen which direction the Knicks will head in at the deadline, but some big changes could be in order for a team with title aspirations.