There are many ways to look at the New York Knicks’ struggles against the league’s top contenders this year. At 0-7 versus the Celtics, Cavaliers, and Thunder, we can firmly say that this version of NYK isn’t good enough, at least for now. Tom Thibodeau and his guys may very well get this thing fixed over the final 25 games and go on a long playoff run. Until then, however, everything is on the table in terms of solving the roster’s problems. One harsh, but possible reality is that New York is still one final trade away from true championship contention.
Will Knicks Need to Make One Final Trade?
When Leon Rose shocked the world by trading Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo to the Timberwolves for Karl-Anthony Towns, we all assumed that New York’s core was finalized. After bringing in OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges, and Towns in one year, sending away five key pieces and six first-round picks, he looked to be out of moves. All of the Knicks’ top eight players are 29 or younger, giving this group a long runway to contend.
Unfortunately, hard truths about this roster have been exposed in New York’s seven ugly losses against the league’s best. The Jalen Brunson-Towns defensive pairing has been disastrous against every elite offense. Bridges hasn’t yet been worth the six first-rounders they sent to Brooklyn. Josh Hart needs to shoot with confidence or else opponents will sag off him, creating terrible spacing. Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla proved that emphatically in Sunday’s drubbing. Their depth isn’t strong enough to sustain an 82-game season, though much of that is injuries and a high-priced starting lineup.
Lastly, NBA history tells us that a team needs a generational, top-five player in the league to hoist the trophy. In fact, the last squad to win a title without a consensus top-five guy was the 2014 Spurs. That San Antonio team had already won four rings and was arguably the greatest ball-movement group of all time. They also had a legendary coach and several Hall of Famers. While Brunson is an incredible player, I don’t think he qualifies, and this team surely doesn’t. Obviously, the Knicks can win the championship as soon as this year, but it would certainly buck historical precedent.
NY May Need to Trade for a Superstar Who Eliminates Flaws
If the rest of this campaign proves that Leon Rose needs to make some calls this summer, he will have two objectives. First, acquire a true superstar who vaults the Knicks into legitimate contention. Second, he will likely need to address New York’s glaring defensive weakness when making a deal.
To satisfy both requirements, Rose would have to make a blockbuster trade involving Towns. He’s never going to move Brunson, and rightly so, as he has a close relationship with his family and is the one who brought New York out of the darkness. The most likely move as of now would be a trade centered around Towns for Giannis Antetokounmpo, who has quietly grown dissatisfied with Milwaukee’s decline. If the Bucks flame out for a fourth straight season, he could be available as soon as this summer. Bringing in the former MVP in exchange for Towns would raise New York’s ceiling while fixing their biggest defensive flaw.
If Antetokounmpo isn’t moved anytime soon, it becomes much harder. There are endless names to speculate about coming to NY, but most are questionable as to whether they’d even make the Knicks better. Someone to watch out for is Jaren Jackson Jr., who is a free agent after next season. He would be the ideal partner for Brunson, but Memphis will do everything they can to lock him down.
We will have to wait to see how the NBA landscape changes in the coming months and who becomes available. At some point, however, NY may have to flip Towns, Bridges, or even Anunoby to reach their championship ceiling.
Photo credit: © Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
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