The New York Knicks struck fast in 2022 NBA free agency, stealing Jalen Brunson away from the Dallas Mavericks and nabbing Isaiah Hartenstein away from the Los Angeles Clippers. The Knicks also agreed to terms on a new deal with free agent center Mitchell Robinson.
That's three significant moves to start free agency. Brunson gives New York the quality option at point guard it has been missing, while the center rotation is now set with Robinson and Hartenstein in place.
However, the Knicks have more work to do after their disappointing 2021-22 campaign. New York is surely keeping an eye on Donovan Mitchell and the Utah Jazz, but as of right now it doesn't seem as if he's going to be traded. Plus, the Knicks should tread lightly when it comes to giving up a monster haul for Mitchell. It doesn't seem as if Kevin Durant is a legitimate option, and the Kyrie Irving ship sailed with the acquisition of Brunson.
Those situations aside, let's take a look at a couple key moves the Knicks still must make this offseason after the initial rush of free agency. And, no, a Carmelo Anthony reunion doesn't count here, but if they really want that to happen, let's get wild.
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Knicks moves after first weekend of 2022 NBA free agency
2. Trade one or both of Julius Randle and Evan Fournier
Randle turned into a star in 2020-21, only to turn into a pumpkin this past season. Making things worse was the fact he sulked his way through much of the season as he struggled to find the form that helped him earn All-NBA Second-Team honors the season before.
The Knicks don't have to trade Randle and definitely shouldn't be giving him away, but they should consider a move … which apparently is happening. Not only does New York boast a stellar center rotation now, but promising youngster Obi Toppin is in place at power forward. Trading Randle would likely open up more minutes for the young players in the frontcourt, at least depending on the return.
Perhaps Randle sticks around and finds himself again alongside a point guard upgrade in Brunson. But for now, the Knicks should be exploring all options.
Fournier joined New York last offseason on a $73 million deal, with $54 million of that guaranteed. Unfortunately, he had a rather disappointing campaign despite shooting well from 3-point range and continues to find his name in trade rumors. The Knicks didn't need to dump him in order to make room for Brunson, but they should still look to move off that contract.
Trading Fournier should mean more playing time for Immanuel Quickley, though it would behoove New York to also look for a better defensive option to play next to Brunson. Either way, the Knicks should look to rectify the mistake they made when they tossed a big bag at Fournier.
1. Sign RJ Barrett to an extension
RJ Barrett is now extension eligible this offseason. The 22-year-old is coming off a season in which he averaged 20.0 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.0 assists in 34.5 minutes per game.
Barrett is a promising young player who looks like a franchise cornerstone, but extension talks could be tricky. This isn't a situation where the Knicks should just throw a max at him. While he put up good numbers in 2021-22, he shot just 40.8% from the field and 34.2% from 3-point range. His true shooting percentage wound up at a rather poor 51.1%, so there are efficiency concerns here.
Ideally, Barrett and New York agree on an extension below max level. The Athletic's Fred Katz polled people around the NBA about a Barrett extension, and around $25 million a year was the most popular response. That would be a fair deal.
Of course, Barrett could bet on himself to have a monster Year 4 and wind up earning himself a max in the process. If that turns out to be the case, the Knicks would gladly pay it. But it would be nice to get him locked in now on something below the max.
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