The New York Knicks agreed to the primary blockbuster deal of the NBA offseason on Tuesday, executing their first commerce with the Brooklyn Nets since 1983 to land ahead Mikal Bridges.
As a part of the deal, New York will ship Bojan Bogdanovic, 4 unprotected first-round picks, a protected first-round decide through Milwaukee, an unprotected decide swap and a second-round decide to Brooklyn in alternate for Bridges and a second-round decide. Though it is a steep value for a non-All-Star, the Knicks are actually arguably the best-equipped crew within the Japanese Convention to knock off the reigning champion Boston Celtics.
Even so, New York nonetheless has some main questions that have to be answered earlier than free company, which begins on June 30 at 6 p.m. ET. With that in thoughts, listed below are three strikes the Knicks should make within the wake of the Bridges commerce.
1. Re-sign ahead OG Anunoby
The plain transfer Knicks president Leon Rose must make this offseason is to retain Anunoby, irrespective of the fee. In December, New York paid an enormous haul to amass Anunoby, who declined his participant choice earlier this week, buying and selling a number of draft picks and younger abilities RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley to Toronto.
The preliminary returns of the Anunoby deal have been extremely promising, contemplating the Knicks have been clicking on all cylinders earlier than Julius Randle suffered a season-ending damage on Jan. 27. Throughout the month of January, the Knicks posted the perfect document within the NBA (14-2) whereas rating first in defensive score (105.9), internet score (16.3) and rebound proportion (54.8%).
Anunoby proved to be New York’s most impactful participant exterior of All-Star level guard Jalen Brunson, which supplies him all of the leverage in contract negotiations regardless of his intensive damage historical past. In all probability, Anunoby will search a deal paying $35 million to $40 million yearly. It is not possible to miss the danger concerned in giving Anunoby such a contract, however pairing him with Bridges would give the Knicks two gamers able to shutting down Boston’s Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum.
2. Purchase a backup middle
Whereas the Knicks might be aggressive of their try to retain Anunoby, SNY’s Ian Begley reported Tuesday that “it is turn into more and more unlikely” they’ll be capable to re-sign middle Isaiah Hartenstein. The 26-year-old Hartenstein emerged as one of many NBA’s higher offensive facilities throughout his second season with New York, averaging 7.8 factors and eight.3 rebounds per recreation.
Hartenstein might be one of many prime free-agent targets for a lot of contending groups, and whereas he’d be a major loss for the Knicks, the crew has a starting-caliber middle on the roster in Mitchell Robinson. If New York fails to retain Hartenstein, it should purchase a backup middle, whether or not that be throughout the first spherical of the 2024 NBA Draft or in free company.
Indiana middle Kel’el Ware, who labored out for the Knicks throughout the pre-draft course of, can be an intriguing addition, although the crew would probably have to maneuver up within the draft to safe him. But when the Knicks finally resolve to discover the free-agent middle market, Goga Bitadze, Andre Drummond and Jonas Valanciunas “are on their radar,” in accordance with HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto.
3. Discover the backup level guard market
Though this is not a precedence, New York ought to search a real backup level guard to bolster one of many deepest benches within the Affiliation. Miles “Deuce” McBride flashed spectacular two-way potential when he was given an expanded function after the Anunoby commerce, however he is not precisely a playmaker.
Throughout the playoffs, McBride shined taking part in as an off-ball guard alongside Brunson, and that may very well be the right function for him going ahead, relying on which backup level guard New York brings in. One other former Villanova Wildcat may very well be the reply, as six-time All-Star Kyle Lowry is a possible free-agent goal for the Knicks, per Yahoo Sports activities’ Jake Fischer.
The 38-year-old is within the twilight years of his profession, however he was a serviceable lead ball-handler for the Warmth and 76ers final season, averaging 8.1 factors, 3.2 rebounds and 4.2 assists in 60 video games. If Lowry is added to the combo, the Knicks would have an undersized but scrappy and efficient small-ball lineup coming off the bench, consisting of him, McBride, Donte DiVincenzo, Josh Hart and whoever the backup middle is.
