The New York Knicks had a relatively quiet trade deadline despite them being heavily in the mix for several trade targets. Ultimately, their only move was shipping off Jericho Sims to the Milwaukee Bucks in exchange for Delon Wright, who is not in New York’s rotation.
Knicks nearly acquired Walker Kessler at the trade deadline
However, they nearly pulled off a deal to acquire Utah Jazz star center Walker Kessler at the trade deadline, per NBA insider Marc Stein. Unfortunately, the two sides couldn’t agree on an asking price and a deal never came to fruition.
Kessler would have been a highly impactful addition for New York. The third-year big man is averaging 11.4 points, 12.2 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks per game on a Jazz team that is one of the worst in the NBA with a 15-45 record.
Kessler could have been used in a variety of ways for New York. He could have been a strong starting center option alongside Karl-Anthony Towns at the power forward position, which could have also helped solve New York’s defensive issues significantly.
The Knicks were in search of center depth before the deadline
The Knicks were in the market for centers due to the uncertainty around Mitchell Robinson’s health before the deadline. He has since returned to the Knicks’ lineup and has appeared in their last two games coming off the bench.
The Jazz view Kessler highly and were unwilling to give him up without a reasonable return. Utah had previously indicated that they had his market price at some first-round draft capital at the very least as a return package.
As of now, the Jazz see Kessler as a central part of their rebuild and are not eager to move on from him. However, things could change in the offseason if the Jazz are blown away with an offer, and the Knicks will likely continue their pursuit of the young shot-blocker in the summer.