Trade Deadline Predictions For The New York Knicks

Realistic Trade Deadline Predictions For The Knicks 
By Daniel Federico

The New York Knicks have had a roller coaster like 2015-16 season. A
questionable draft selection and underwhelming free agent signings
turned into probably the second best rookie in all of basketball and a
solid core of veterans to revolve around Carmelo Anthony.

And don’t forget about Anthony’s performance thus far. Despite dealing
with lingering knee issues, the star has went against the grain,
opting to get his teammates involved as much as possible instead of
shooting the ball as much as possible.

Anthony, Kristaps Porzingis, Robin Lopez, Aaron Afflalo and company
were far from the best; however, their hustle and determination had
the team at a respectable and somewhat surprising .500 record in late
January. Unfortunately, they have gone on a free fall ever since,
losing 12 of 15 games, including six straight games before the All
Star break.

The play was enough for Team President Phil Jackson to pull the trigger on
his hand picked project, Derek Fisher. And although the team has taken
plenty of strides since the dreadful season prior, the coaching change
and glaring holes in the backcourt have made the Knicks take yet
another step back.

However, the situation isn’t that gloomy in the World’s Most Famous
Arena. Porzingis has shown the necessary skills – both on and off the
court – to warrant star potential talk amongst his peers. Despite many
fans wanting Anthony gone for a great return, the franchise talent and
his no trade clause aren’t going anywhere. On top of that, Lopez,
Langston Galloway and Lance Thomas help round out a solid core for the
future.

The team will look to upgrade at the trade deadline, there’s no doubt
about that. However, it may be tough for them to make significant
changes to get out of the hole that the franchise is currently in.
Here are my realistic trade predictions ahead of Thurday’s deadline.

The Front Office Will Be More Active Than You Think

It’s obvious that the organization lacks the necessary trade chips to
make a big time moves. Despite the rumors of Jeff Teague or Ricky
Rubio donning the orange and blue digs, it’s hard to imagine that a
trade can be facilitated to bring the point guards to the Big Apple.

However, I still think that both Jackson and General Manager Steve
Mills will make changes to their roster with limited assets.

It’s obvious both back court positions are in need of reinforcements.
At this point in his career, Jose Calderon is a backup point guard at
best, while Afflalo shoots way more than someone of his caliber
should. The Knicks could look to some cheap upcoming free agents,
along the lines of OJ Mayo, Randy Foye and Kirk Heinrich, to help
bring in a change to the guard position.

Expect A Change In The Starting Lineup

As stated above, the Knicks don’t have assets to change the fortunes
of the team this season. However, I think a move will be made that
will impact that starting lineup.

Some point guards that could be of interest to Jackson and Mills are
Jerryd Bayless, DJ Augustin and Aaron Brooks. Sure, each of these men
have largely spent time in backup duties, but the case could be made
that they’re upgrades over Jose Calderon. The trio of Bayless,
Augustin and Brooks can all get into the paint and dish to the
perimeter, while also hitting three point shots. That enough could
earn them a starting spot on this roster.

If not through the trade market, look for Knicks brass to sign a
current free agent. One player who has been linked to the team since
he was cut from the Philadelphia 76ers is Tony Wroten. Similar to the
aforementioned guards, Wroten has the ability to overtake the starting
job. If the Knicks fail to land one via trade, don’t be surprised if
they turn to Wroten for help.

The Knicks Will Still Miss The Playoffs

Expect two trades to happen. Expect a change in the starting lineup.
But don’t except the Knicks to make the playoffs. Sure, the tandem of
Anthony and Porzingis alone could lead to a possible eighth seed, but
it’s unlikely that they do so.

Yes, the Knicks do have strong chemistry, but they lack true impact
players. While the case could be made that they overachieved in the
first half of the season, it looks as though they’re showing what they
truly are – a team who’s made improvements, but still isn’t there yet.

With Kurt Rambis now leading the charge on the bench, the team is
going to go through some different scheme changes from what they were
used to from Fisher. That, combined with a lack of talent, will make
it hard for the Knicks to dig out of the hole they put themselves
into.

Daniel Federico is a writer for Outside Pitch MLB and About.com. You
can follow and interact him on Twitter (@DanFederico_), and you can
email him at dfed023@gmail.com

Print Friendly, PDF & Email