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Many have anticipated that the New York Knicks will make aggressive moves at the trade deadline in a bid to bolster their lineup for the remainder of the season. However, the team did the opposite as they decided to stand pat in order to keep their draft capital moving forward.
Via Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report:
“There was a faction of New York's front office that wanted to obtain Drummond. But the Knicks ultimately remained focused on maintaining draft capital rather than trading future draft picks for a player they could seemingly add in free agency this offseason. That calculus played a key factor in New York never making an aggressive bid for Victor Oladipo and others, sources said.”
The Knicks reportedly set their sights on acquiring two former All-Star players in Andre Drummond and Victor Oladipo at the trade deadline. It can't be denied that both players would have certainly brought huge value to the team as they have already proven their capabilities in the past.
However, the Knicks didn't want to take a big risk for players that they can potentially entice to come and play for New York in the coming offseason.
Instead, the Knicks decided to hold onto their cards and roll with their current lineup bannered by All-Star forward Julius Randle. The team has been working pretty well in their first campaign under head coach Tom Thibodeau as they saw a newfound resurgence this season.
The Knicks are already gaining steam as they currently hold a 24-23 record to nab the fifth spot in the Eastern Conference. New York is hoping that the level of talent that they have will be sufficient for them to make a playoff run by the end of the regular season.
By missing out on a couple of intriguing targets at the trade deadline, the Knicks are now looking forward to the offseason where they are expected to make a big splash to land some of the league's impending free agents.
