The New York Knicks made the playoffs last season, beating the Cleveland Cavaliers to get to the second round. However, the team was unable to get further. While they are a solid playoff team as of right now, it is clear that they need more talent to get further in the postseason.
It seems as though the front office is actively looking at star players, as Marc Berman of The New York Post reported that the team is monitoring Joel Embiid, Donovan Mitchell and Karl-Anthony Towns.
“Despite attempts to work out a trade, the Knicks kept Fournier because of the value attached to his $19 million expiring contract. Until the Feb. 8 trade deadline, team president Leon Rose can use the 3-point specialist as a way to match salaries for a star player.”
“The Knicks are monitoring three targets, in particular, a source said: Minnesota’s Karl-Anthony Towns, Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid and Cleveland’s Donovan Mitchell.”
“Of those three, the most feasible in-season deal would be for Towns.”
There is no doubt that acquiring an of those players would make the Knicks a better team. It makes sense that Karl-Anthony Towns is the most likely target. The Minnesota Timberwolves traded a lot of assets for Rudy Gobert, but the duo’s partnership in the frontcourt has not been successful thus far. They need to recoup assets to build around Anthony Edwards, and trading Towns is the smartest way to go about that since Gobert’s value has decreased since its peak.
The New York Knicks Also Have Interest In Zion Williamson
Aside from the aforementioned three stars, it seems as though the Knicks have other targets as well. In fact, it was previously reported that the Knicks contacted the Pelicans about a Zion Williamson trade.
“New Orleans is still not sold on Zion Williamson. Obviously, there’s a risk there, all eyes are on him this season. I was told the Knicks checked in over the offseason about Zion. That could be a possibility…”
It is easy to see why the Knicks would be willing to take a risk on Williamson. When healthy, he is one of the most dominant players near the rim, and a clear superstar talent.
This past season, Williamson averaged 26.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 4.6 assists per game for the Pelicans while shooting 60.8% from the field. Hopefully, he is able to stay healthy, and if that happens, it would be no surprise to see the Knicks try and trade for him.
The Knicks Have The Assets To Land A Star-Level Player
The New York Knicks have made a number of shrewd moves over the last few years, and they definitely have the assets to make a big move. They have four first-round picks in the 2024 NBA Draft alone, though the two received from the Pistons and the Wizards are unlikely to convey due to the protections placed.
Aside from their draft assets, the Knicks also have a number of young players that are under team control for the foreseeable future. Quentin Grimes, RJ Barrett, and Mitchell Robinson can all be used in a superstar trade going forward.
It will be interesting to see the sort of star that the New York Knicks ultimately go with. It has to be a player that will legitimately give them a chance of winning a championship, and we’ll see what happens in the future.
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