The New York Knicks are still one of the most talked-about organizations because they are in a big market. The attention was warranted last season because of their impressive leap to a top-four seed in the Eastern Conference. But this season, they have horrendously dropped to 10th place in the team standings. The Knicks are helplessly clinging to the last play-in spot, especially with the 11th seed Atlanta Hawks in the midst of a five-game winning streak.
Adding Evan Fournier and Kemba Walker in the offseason raised the excitement level of the Knicks fans because their main weaknesses were on offensive production. This was heavily exposed in their postseason series versus the Hawks as their offensive schemes revolved around Julius Randle and Derrick Rose. They are talented players, but they cannot be the primary and secondary options for a franchise that wants to make some noise.
Fournier and Walker were acquired for their scoring, but they have not even been able to produce consistently. Additionally, their playmaking has been non-existent for their other pieces like Randle, RJ Barrett, and Mitchell Robinson. With their glaring weakness defensively, their role has dwindled as Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau has rolled with their other youngsters in lieu of Fournier and Walker. Clearly, the Knicks are in dire need of a scorer and facilitator in their backcourt.
Biggest need the Knicks must address at the 2022 NBA Trade Deadline
Randle's four-year extension has not even kicked in this year, and it would seem difficult to swing him for a reasonable return as his production has drastically dropped. The Knicks have reportedly put him available in trade talks, but the more realistic deal is upgrading their guards and wings who fit the style of Randle. Thibodeau cannot be resistant to change and continue riding with his favorite guys because the Knicks are not going to be able to rectify any of their current issues with the same lineup and rotation.
Jalen Brunson, Eric Gordon, and Terrence Ross are some names who could be around the trade market, who Knicks boss Leon Rose should at the very least inquire on their availability. These guys would fit tremendously alongside Randle because they can feed him the ball while being a legitimate threat on the outside. Compared to Fournier and Walker, Brunson, Gordon, and Ross are lethal shooters who have been performing at a relatively high level this season.
Brunson's rookie deal is expiring after this season, while Gordon and Ross still have a couple of years left on their respective deals. New York even has other tradable contracts like Alec Burks and Nerlens Noel. There's also the rookie contract of Robinson, which would conclude in the offseason, but he could be available before the trade deadline as well. The key for the Knicks front office is prioritizing the needs and addressing them through the admirable leadership of Rose and Thibodeau.
The interest and attention of playing at Madison Square Garden will always be there, but the organization would not want to go back in the dark days when the Knicks were the laughingstock of the league. The ascension already began with the incredible acquisitions of foundational pieces in Thibodeau, Rose, and Randle, but sustainability and progression are the missing links.
With the enormous cap space last offseason, New York made a glaring mistake by committing a ton of long-term money on players who still have questionable facets. The flexibility was a pleasing and unique sight for the Knicks, but their payroll currently stands at over $118 million. The Cam Reddish trade was their first move as a low-risk, high-reward experiment, but that is not even close to replicating their success last season.
It is inevitable for the Knicks to be one of the most active squads before the NBA trade deadline, but the deals must be more brilliant to utilize their movable contracts for a more advantageous change.
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