The NBA trade deadline is a top-three time of the year for hoops fans, rivaled only by the March Madness and the NBA Finals.
But will it be a merry holiday for New York Knicks fans this year?
Just two weeks ago, when the team was in the midst of a 2-9 slide, many fans expected fireworks from Leon Rose and the front office come the trade deadline.
Fast forward to today, where the Knicks are winners of six straight and 5.5 games back of the Eastern Conference-leading Detroit Pistons, and those same fans are less optimistic — nor as eager — of trade season fanfare.
The most common (and rational) school of thought holds that Rose and the front office will at least trade Guerschon Yabusele and his $5.5 million salary. That’s a high enough mark to obtain a proven player, not a reclamation project.
Add in the $2.8 million salary of former first-round pick Pacôme Dadiet, and visions of the Knicks acquiring some win-now talent this week become clearer.
Who, though?
Your guess is as good as mine. Still, while we’re all waiting for the Shams Charania notification, let’s thumb through the most likely — and most linked — names.
Jose Alvarado
One of the most common names tied to New York is Brooklyn-born guard Jose Alvarado of the New Orleans Pelicans.
SNY’s Ian Begley has been at the forefront of the Knicks’ interest, reporting on Jan. 28 that he “remains squarely on New York’s radar” ahead of the deadline.
Alvarado, after a career year last season, has seen a slight dip as the Pelicans tread water in the NBA’s purgatory with the league’s third-worst record.
Still, he’s averaging 8.0 points and 3.2 assists while playing just 21.8 minutes per game. That kind of contribution would go a long way on this Knicks team.
New York is managing to outscore opponents by 4.0 points per 100 possessions with Jalen Brunson off the floor. But that’s large in part because of their 90th percentile defense, according to Cleaning the Glass.
The offense falls from scoring per 124.3 per 100 possessions to 112.7, which is from the 97th to 31st percentile, respectively. Turnover percentage also jumps from 13.3% to 15.2%, which again is a drop from the 82nd to the 33rd percentile. Not great.
New Orleans is a bad team. Let’s make sure we mention that once more.
So when the Pelicans’ turnover percentage improves from just 14.2% to 14%, don’t let the marginality fool you, Alvarado’s a floor general. He’s just got little to work with right now by way of his team’s offense, currently ranked 25th league-wide.
Nick Richards
This isn’t the sexiest name you’ll see tied to the Knicks, but if Yabusele is indeed on the way out, his position needs to be filled.
New York’s center rotation currently features:
- Karl-Anthony Towns, who’s had an up-and-down year that’s well chronicled. He’s played just 66 fourth-quarter minutes over the last 10 games.
- Mitchell Robinson, who’s played in 35 of 49 games. He’s the most impactful role player in the NBA, but his availability will always come with an asterisk.
- Yabusele, who for reasons documented here at Knicks X-Factor and elsewhere, is no longer a viable option for the Knicks–if he ever was.
- and Ariel Hukporti, a second-year big who’s earned little trust from Brown. He’s appeared in just 33 games this season, and nearly half of his minutes (42%) have come in the fourth quarter, i.e., garbage time.
Factor all of this in, and it’s easy to understand the criticality with which New York views the role of third-string center. But why Nick Richards?
Currently with the Phoenix Suns, the big man has long been linked to the Knicks, as recently as last year’s trade deadline when he was with the Charlotte Hornets.
But he’s out of the Suns’ rotation, after second-year center Oso Ighodaro surpassed him in head coach Jordan Ott’s depth chart.
Richards is a serviceable big with career averages of 6.9 points and 5.6 rebounds. And conveniently enough, he makes nearly as much as Yabusele.
Ayo Dosunmu
Sources confirmed to Knicks X-Factor this week that the Chicago Bulls and New York have discussed the frameworks of a deal to bring Ayo Dosunmu to the Big Apple.
That comes on the heels of both Stefan Bondy of the New York Post and James Edwards III of The Athletic listing him as a potential target for the Knicks.
Dosunmu is currently enjoying a career-best season in year five: averaging 15 points, 3.5 assists, 3.0 rebounds, and a career-high 45% shooting from behind the arc.
In New York, he would add more flexibility and versatility to Mike Brown’s offense. Dosunmu is a capable ball-handler and self-creator — arguably the two qualities the Knicks’ bench rotation needs most.
He’s posting a 21.1% usage rate alongside a 63.5% true shooting percentage. The only other guards with those (or better) numbers this season — minimum 40 GP — are reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and rookie phenom Kon Knueppel, per NBA.com.
And for those at home now wondering, Brunson has a 30.9% usage rate to go with 59% true shooting this season. Which, with his volume, is obviously more impressive.
Dosunmu would add everything this ball club needs off the bench and/or when Brunson is off the floor. Whether Leon Rose and company will pony up the Bulls’ asking price is less certain.
Naji Marshall
NBA insiders Jake Fischer and Marc Stein reported this week that the Dallas Mavericks’ “phones are open.”
But are they so open that the Knicks can swing a deal for Naji Marshall? They’ve been connected to the six-year veteran throughout the entire trade cycle.
Most recently ,it was Brett Siegel of Clutch Points who connected the 28-year-old forward to a potential future at Madison Square Garden.
Marshall is averaging 14.6 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game. But he’s only converting 30% of his three-point attempts, and his $9-million salary mark is an abstract figure for New York to match.
And to add insult to injury, Marshall accepted an interview with DLLS Sports just this morning, in which he told Ron Harrod Jr. that he hopes to finish his career with Cooper Flagg and the Mavericks.
Marshall is less of a “fit” as much as he is a talent upgrade for New York’s bench.
The bevy of reported interest warrants his relevancy when discussing the Knicks’ options this week, but I wouldn’t bet on a deal for the Dallas swingman.
Giannis Antetokounmpo
And last but not least, the name on every NBA fan’s mind everywhere.
With roughly 48 hours to go until the trade deadline, the general consensus is that the Milwaukee Bucks will hold Antetokounmpo through the end of the season.
And they’d be smart to. Because teams like New York will have more to offer in terms of draft picks once the regular season (and league calendar year) ends.
Despite this, it’s worth noting that New York has consistently been mentioned amongst the (growing) list of suitors for the Greek Freak that now includes nearly 10 teams.
Small details like the Portland Trail Blazers’ affinity for Mikal Bridges and the Knicks’ interest in Jrue Holiday should serve as evidence that the teams have spoken more recently than last summer. Still, it doesn’t change the likelihood of a deal.
Antetokounmpo, for all his injury woes this year, is averaging 28 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 5.6 assists over 30 appearances this season. He’s also converting a career-high 39% of his threes on admittedly low volume–1.3 attempts nightly.
He’s a two-time MVP, perennial All-Star, and he’s carried a team to a championship.
For as long as he’s available, look for Rose and the Knicks’ front office to make moves catered around acquiring more — and maintaining their current stash of — assets in order to swing on Antetokounmpo when he’s finally, truly available.
The clock is ticking, but rest assured, friends: New York will undoubtedly make a move of some sort to furnish its roster ahead of another championship run.
So keep your notifications on, your loved ones close, and cherish those Guerschon Yabusele highlights. Until any deal is struck, they’re all we have.
In the meantime, prep for Tuesday night’s matchup with the Washington Wizards. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 pm EST as the good guys look to make it seven-straight.
