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The New York Knicks, once the talk of the town, are back to being the constant disappointment that their fans have come to expect. The energy around Madison Square Garden has been dead for a while now. The chance to rejuvenate it is now gone, too.
It was obvious that the Knicks needed their roster shaken up just a few months into the season. New York did so by making a midseason trade with the Atlanta Hawks to acquire Cam Reddish. It was a wise move, as Reddish could infuse their lineup with scoring and defensive skills and it only cost New York a protected first-round pick and Kevin Knox, an end-of-the-bench rotation piece.
The Reddish trade was a start for New York to improve the team heading into the trade deadline. Or, at least, it should have been. There were tons of rumors around who the Knicks would trade from their own roster and who they were targeting. None of them came to fruition. They will continue on without any changes to their roster unless they land a premier buyout market option. Their inability to decide on a trade to make was the worst decision they made at the 2022 trade deadline.
Knicks’ biggest mistake at the 2022 NBA Trade Deadline
The Knicks not doing anything at the trade deadline — whether they tried to and failed or didn't look to make any serious moves — was a massive mistake. The season is all but decided for them now, as their playoff hopes are slim and only getting slimmer.
First, the Knicks' roster isn't going to get any better. Tom Thibodeau is not one to mix up his rotations or try something unexpected. The only times he changes his lineups is when injuries demand it. Unless Randle rediscovers his 3-point shooting powers from last season or Evan Fourier continues shooting like Stephen Curry, there isn't much hope for internal improvement.
The Knicks have several players that they should have looked to move on from. Kemba Walker has struggled this season and his contract is only worth $9 million. Alec Burks has been fine, but he takes playing time from young guys like Reddish and rookie Quentin Grimes. Nerlens Noel is often injured, signed to a bloated contract and isn't very effective when he does play. Fournier has played very strongly and selling high could have saved the Knicks from his lengthy, expensive contract.
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Reddish wanted out of Atlanta because he wanted a bigger role. Now, he has an even smaller one with the Knicks. Because their roster is still glutted, it doesn't look like that will change. Thibodeau said after the deadline that the front office will continue looking for options and evaluating the roster.
Thibs tonight post-deadline: “We already made a trade earlier on. That’s part of it. You look at your trade possibilities, free agents. Leon, Wes and Scott look at it in totality. It’s ongoing. It doesn’t end. He’ll continue to look. There’s always possibilities.'' https://t.co/r77ZmKyNDw
— Marc Berman (@NYPost_Berman) February 11, 2022
Knicks president of basketball operations Leon Rose hasn't spoken to the media since this past offseason. His decision to add two upgrades to the starting lineup and retain the same bench lineup from last year's team has been a failed mission. Doing the same thing has indeed produced different results. The bad news is that the results are worse.
Now, New York will continue doing what it has been doing all season and likely march its way right back into the draft lottery. Admitting to some failure by the front office could have landed the Knicks more talent to work with or a roster mix-up that could have unlocked something.
Just last year, the Knicks were an up-and-coming team. They have quickly found themselves back on the downswing. With a 25-31 record and in 12th place in the Eastern Conference, it seems like they will be back out of the postseason.
