The Strickland’s 2023 Knicks Trade Deadline Roundtable

Trade season is upon us, and for the New York Knicks, that means rumors and whispers abound. What players should they be interested in? Are there other players that make more sense? The Strickland staff weighs in.

“It’s been an interesting year to be a New York Knicks,” said every fan of every New York Knicks team that ever played, ever.

Despite prying 2022 playoff pyro Jalen Brunson away from the Dallas Mavericks in free agency, their offensive issues are abundant as ever. This season’s featured win streaks and losing streaks alike, and an injury to starting center Mitchell Robinson has forced the Knicks to adjust on the fly recently.

As of the time of this article, the Knicks are 29-26: a half-game out of a guaranteed playoff spot, just four-and-a-half games out of the No. 4 seed, and yet also four games away from missing the playoffs entirely.

Which brings us to the trade deadline, where Leon Rose and company are bound to pull the trigger on some form of a deal, whether for future assets or win-now talent. Or maybe a little of both!

In an effort to help guide New York’s front office, we got together a small panel of our experts to weigh in on some of the biggest names linked to the Knicks ahead of Thursday’s deadline.

All of Malik Beasley, Saddiq Bey and Gary Trent Jr. have been linked to the Knicks. Rank them in terms of your preferred target, and why is X player your No. 1?

Miranda: Trent, Beasley, Bey.

Trent Jr. and Beasley could both be sixth men microwave scorers, something the Knicks could use. GTJ is two years younger and more of a balanced scorer; Beasley has evolved over his career to be almost entirely a 3-point threat. Beasley has one year left after this on a team option; Trent Jr. has a year to go if he picks up his player option, other he’s unrestricted this summer. Also, to my knowledge, Trent, unlike Beasley, has never faced felony charges for narcotics and receiving stolen property. Color me simple, but GTJ seems the best choice – though also the priciest to acquire and re-sign.  

Collin: Trent, Bey, Beasley.

Outgoing package pending, I think the role New York has for an incoming wing is best fit for either of Gary or Saddiq. When looking at the numbers, Beasley hasn’t done anything other than shoot threes all season. And while he’s hitting them at a mark that would rank third on this Knicks team, Bey and Trent Jr. each offer more than one-way skillsets on offense, in the realms of mid-range shot making and rebounding. 

Derek: Trent, Bey, Beasley.

Trent is by far the best player, all else equal, in my opinion. He’s an efficient scorer at both the rim at from three, and can masquerade as the Knicks’ missing piece at wing with his 6-foot-9 wingspan. Trent is underrated defensively, where he gets into the passing lanes and would immediately have the highest steal rate among Knick players this season.

Bey and Beasley are mostly a wash — but Bey has the superior contract in my view, making under $5 million next year while Beasley will hit the cap for $16.5 million if the team exercises his option (otherwise, he’s a rental).

Drew: My colleagues may provide statistical and anatomic analysis on these players, I’m going to provide a more “esoteric” approach in answering this question. You need to be simpatico with “the vibes.” Gary Trent Jr. has immaculate vibes. I do not think I’ve seen him miss a three ever when the Raptors face the Knicks. But once a Knick, will the threes continue to rain down upon Madison Square Garden? That’s a big risk.

You can’t go wrong with Trent, but my choice is without question Saddiq Bey. Yes, he does dye part of his hair green to honor The Joker (bad vibes), but he did go to Villanova. Jalen Brunson also went to Villanova. You can never go wrong with a player who’s been coached by Jay Wright, who has immaculate vibes. And I know what you’re thinking: I am actively choosing to not count Omari Spellman.

Zach: Trent, Bey, Beasley. 

After hearing reports that Trent’s trade value is considered to be a meager “two good second round picks,” he seems to be the easy answer for me here. Trent’s situation reminds me of Evan Fournier’s during the 2021 trade deadline, where he and his expiring salary were shipped from Orlando to Boston for just two second-rounders as well. At the time, Fournier was still a reliable offensive option and looked like the perfect piece for a playoff team. Two second-round picks appeared to be a hot bargain for the Frenchman. Also like Fournier, Trent is elite from beyond the arc, a sneaky-good shot creator and can slide in at both the 2 and the 3 for NYK. 

Sam: Trent, Bey, Beasley. 

In spite of the emergence of Deuce McBride (and Isaiah Hartenstein to a degree), the Knicks’ bench could use a scoring punch. Many nights Immanuel Quickley is left as the lone bench presence, leaving the starters playing extended, taxing minutes. I think Gary Trent Jr. is clearly heads and shoulders above the other two names on both ends of the court. I also think it should be relatively cheap to acquire him as well and he fits the timeline . I think this type of move could even potentially shift a playoff series, helping along the margins. 

Shwinnypooh: Trent, Bey, Beasley.

Gary Trent Jr. is 24, is a career 38.5% shooter beyond the arc on volume, can actually attack the rim on closeouts, and isn’t a total stiff on defense. He’s not a great or even good passer, but none of these guys are. Trent, however, would add another wing to the mix, albeit still not the “big wing” the roster is devoid of, one with a strong track record as shooter and fits in with the general timeline of the Knicks’ current roster. At a reported price of a protected first round pick or two seconds, this could represent very good value.

Alex: Trent, Bey, Beasley.

Even if Trent is just a rental, he’s a great shooter, and if the price is right, he could give the Knicks the scoring they need off the bench to supplement Quickley. The Knicks have really been missing that this year after trading away Alec Burks. I’m honestly kinda meh on both Bey and Beasley. I’d give Bey the slight advantage thanks to age and contract, though I think both are just volume 3-point shooters that offer little else. Trent is a much more complete scorer, and I’d definitely prefer him by a wide margin.

Would you like to see New York go after OG Anunoby? On a scale of 1-10, how much closer to a contender does inserting him into the starting lineup (presumably in place of Quentin Grimes) make the Knicks?

Prez: If the price is right. I think the Knicks are firmly in the “get good, acquire value” stage of our team life cycle, and while fit is a factor, it’s not a be-all, end-all like if they were a real contender. I think inserting him over Grimes probably makes the Knicks’ top seven a lot stronger, and the starters a little better, albeit weirder. 

Miranda: Yes. I would like to see New York go after OG. I don’t think their title odds tilt at all off of that one move. Nor is replacing Grimes with Anunoby the move I’d make. As long as Mitchell Robinson, Julius Randle and Jalen Brunson are starters, the value of a two-way wing (with some upside!) and the spacing Grimes provides is invaluable. Swap him for Anunoby, and while it’s not the gridlock of the 1990s Knicks, it’s def nearing rush hour traffic. Hear me out: RJ Barrett, sixth man extraordinaire. And before you say one word about Barrett’s salary or ego or draft position making that move impossible, I have three words for you: Kevin. Mc. Hale.

Collin: Whether for OG or otherwise, I’d like to see Leon Rose and company take a bigger mid-season swing than Cam Reddish this year. Yes, credit to the front office for making the Derrick Rose trade in 2021, but not even they could have predicted the impact he’d go onto have the team’s final 35 games. This team (currently 28-25) is certainly better than last season’s (24-31 on deadline day), but that seems all the more reason to capitalize on the most gettable difference-maker. And as it stands, outside of he who must not be named, that seems to be Anunoby. The NBA market is 24/7, not seasonally affiliated with the summer. It’s time for Leon and company to recognize that. 

Derek: Not rocket science, but it all depends on price. OG is the quintessential championship role player, with a bit of upside, and he comes with at least one additional year of team control. Currently 99th percentile in defensive EPM, OG is an absolute menace both on the ball and in help (2.9% steal rate would rank tops on the Knicks; 2.1% block rate tops among non-bigs), and comes at a position of desperate need at the wing.

Offensively, he’s vastly underrated, and has seen consistently solid efficiency (56% TS%, 53rd percentile among small forwards) despite growing usage (76th percentile among small forwards). With Evan Fournier out of the rotation, he might immediately become the Knicks’ best shooter, at least 36% from deep for the fourth straight year now, lent additional confidence by his career-high 82% from the free throw line.

How much closer to a contender does him in the starting lineup make the Knicks? Well, that depends greatly on whether he replaces Quentin Grimes or RJ Barrett, who I believe more and more to fit the mold of a sixth man due to poor defense and inefficient offense against NBA starters. The Knicks aren’t a contender with OG, but with him, the next piece they need to become one might go from a superstar to just a borderline star. Assuming the price doesn’t include two-plus unprotected firsts and talent, it’s an exciting stepping stone acquisition that would still afford the front office enough flexibility for one more move.

Drew: OG Anunoby makes way too much sense on this specific Knicks team… off the bench. That’s not a knock on Anunoby at all, as he clearly is a good starting player in the NBA. We need to dive into the mind and thought process of one Thomas Thibodeau. Technically, nine players play each night, but the rotation is more or less seven people. Immanuel Quickley plays effectively all of the non-Grimes and Barrett minutes with some non-Brunson minutes sprinkled in. There is always a traditional five playing in the 48 allocated minutes. We cannot get around that. Then McBride and Toppin get the scraps. 

I’m fairly certain that if Thibodeau had his way, he wouldn’t play either McBride or Toppin because he just doesn’t trust them, especially Toppin on the defensive end. But if you bring in Anunoby, you’re giving Thibs a “seventh starter.” He can then have Quickley take all of the non-Brunson and Grimes minutes, Anunoby play all of the non-Barrett and Randle minutes, and have all these seven guys playing roughly 30 minutes each, give-and-take the game situation. This type of eight-man rotation is so stupid that I think it would work specifically for this team and how the coach handles minutes and substitutions. 

Now should the Knicks get into a bidding war for Anunoby? No, not at all. What I’m assuming is the standing offer of three protected picks, Obi Toppin, and filler is a win-win for both teams. Toronto is more than likely holding out to see if a team like the Pelicans decide to pay more. Totally understandable. But if Toronto wants to pass up on the Knicks’ offer and have Anunoby walk for nothing in 2024, let them be dumb. 

Zach: I would be very interested in New York making a run at Anunoby, if the price is right. I’ve long thought that the Knicks’ biggest roster-need is a jumbo defensive stopper on the wing, and OG fits the bill as well as anyone on the trade market. Besides the fact that OG is a pretty great basketball fit, the move would align with the Knicks’ long-term rebuilding mantra of “acquire value, wait for a star.” We all know that NBA draft picks inherently lose value once they get names attached to them, and I think it’s about time that Leon Rose begins to empty his clip and make a move on the front of asset consolidation. As for how much closer OG brings the Knicks to contention? In the immediate future, not that much closer. But that’s not why you make this deal. 

Shwinnypooh: Yes, I would even though I have very real concerns about how he’d fit offensively alongside Brunson, Barrett, and Randle in the starting lineup as well as whether or not it’s worthwhile to move Grimes to the bench to accommodate him. Also of importance, at least to me, is that Obi Toppin is retained in the deal. The Knicks have seen their depth been tested throughout the year to uninspiring results overall when they’ve had to go deeper into the bench. Three protected firsts for OG and matching salary is a substantial and fair offer. Some will view Obi as just a throw-in given his lack of minutes in New York. but I won’t allow Thibs’ criminal usage to guide my view of the player.

Sam: I echo the sentiments of many before me, I think OG at the right price is the right move. I also think due to a recent trade being made and the ramifications of said trade, that price may even decrease for the Knicks as well. I do have my drawbacks about how he’ll be utilized under a coach that has mismanaged the roles of other young players we’ve had on this team. This team has long needed a larger wing to take on defensive responsibilities, especially since their wings are on the smaller side and one has regressed defensively. I also don’t think this makes the Knicks a contender right now, but most likely is a stepping stone along the way to one; but once again, at the right price. 

Alex: I echo everyone else. I will just say, I worry about the personality aspect of bringing OG in here. I think he views himself as some untapped star player, and I think some advocating for trading for him think that as well. I don’t think he’s got some Jalen Brunson-esque turn waiting to happen. He doesn’t create a ton of his own looks, and the ones that he does — from midrange — he kinda sucks at (in the bottom 30% of wings in the NBA per Cleaning the Glass). Would he be cool essentially slotting into the exact same fourth option role on the Knicks as he was in on the Raptors? That said, get a new coach who’s not afraid to play small, and you could be cooking with gas with a Brunson/Grimes/RJ/Julius/OG lineup. Two to three protected firsts, Obi Toppin if it’s two firsts, Derrick Rose, and Cam Reddish. Final offer.

Nearly every name linked to the Knicks is a wing. Is there another area of the roster you see a need, or better yet an opportunity, to address? Names?

Prez: I’m still checking the price on geriatric/same-age-as-prez Eric Gordon. He’s not a wing but he’s a better ball handler and passer than pretty much every single wing available. 

Miranda: A better back-up big would be nice. A friend told me he’d replace Isaiah Hartenstein immediately with Andre Drummond. My immediate thought was “Come on, man,” mostly ‘cuz I feel like I’ve been hearing Drummond-to-the-Knicks talk for 10 years, and because there’s a very weird AD Twitter cult that try to argue he’s an All-Star/HOF dark horse. But with Miami’s inconsistency this season and Kyrie Irving’s Kyrie Irvingness getting him outta town, a top-6 spot’s within reach for New York. With upcoming games against opponents who have the size to trouble a Mitch-less Knicks – before the All-Star break they play the Magic, 76ers and Hawks – what if Drummond over Hartenstein wins them 1-2 more games this month? Worth it, yes?

Collin: Ignoring the Andre Drummond-sized elephant on this document, I’m going to say that outside of a blockbuster move, I can’t see any real opportunity to upgrade any non-wing roster spots today. This team has shown it can play some really good basketball. Make the move for your most glaring need or don’t make a move at all.

Derek: If the Knicks aren’t getting a wing, and assuming no star-level players are available at other positions, it doesn’t make too much sense to bring in another rotation player for assets given the team’s current depth of solid NBA players. A move would probably be more focused on clearing the glut of salary on the books.

Drew: There’s really no point trading for another position besides that 3/4 wing type of player. I guess upgrading McBride makes sense, but that doesn’t do much for the team. 

Zach: I don’t think the Knicks are in the position to bang the table in a deal for a non-wing, but there are a few names that I’m relatively intrigued by. I’m a fan of the aforementioned Eric Gordon, but he’s getting up there in the years, and it sounds like Houston is setting his price tag a little too high for my liking. I’d be in for an upgrade at the backup 5, but definitely not Andre Drummond. I have no idea how Drummond continues to trick NBA GMs (and Strickland writers) year after year. On an early-season episode of Pod Strickland, Shwin brought up the idea of a Payton Pritchard/Miles McBride swap. Pritchard has been in and out of Boston’s rotation all year, but still shows the same flashes that garnered Knicks interest during the 2020 pre-draft process. Pritchard is having a bit of a down year this season, while McBride has greatly impressed me in the past month or two. I’m a lot less interested in the Deuce/FastPP swap than I was in November, but I’m still on board for Pritchard if he’s gettable for some second-round picks. On the topic of down years; is Jaylen Nowell available?

Shwinnypooh: With Hartenstein’s resurgence over the last couple of weeks the center rotation looks very stout with a return from Mitchell Robinson on the horizon, so not really? You should always be open to acquiring additional talent if the opportunity arises, but aside from the need for help on the wing and a “true” star (which likely will not be available at the deadline) there’s not much I’d say is a position of need.

Sam: Honestly, before Hartenstein flipped the switch to begin the new year, I would have said backup big as well. Our biggest area of need is a wing, preferably a two-way wing who can provide a bench spark. I think that’s the only position of need the team needs to be focused on heavily. 

Alex: Bigs are cheap. So if the Knicks can get, like, Mo Bamba on the somewhat cheap, I say go for it. It’d be nice to have a big that can legitimately space the floor some rather than Hartenstein’s fake floor spacing. But I wouldn’t spend more than a couple second rounders on a backup big upgrade.

What do you make of Cam Reddish still being in New York?

Prez: Hope he enjoys the nightlife.

Miranda: A player drafted in the lottery by a team desperate for two-way wings gets traded after only 118 games by that team – to a rival – for a protected first. After seeing him in action for 35 games, that team, also in need of two-way wings, benches him and are looking to move him for second-round picks. He’s been available for two months and remains available. What do I make of that? I hope the third time’s the charm for Cam and I’d guess the player needs some internal adjustments to go with a change of scenery. I’m in the same place in life.  

Collin: It’s pretty depressing, and makes me legitimately wonder what it is that Leon Rose (or Gersson Rosas) is asking for from the other end of the phone. 

Derek: Someone’s gotta stay to recruit Zion, right?

Drew: He’s getting paid millions of dollars to watch NBA games courtside.

Zach: He’s been a great help in keeping RJ entertained during his fourth quarter DNPs. 

Shwinnypooh: Genuinely cannot believe how much discourse has been generated about a guy who hasn’t played in two months considering that removing him from the rotation has ultimately resulted in the Knicks turning their season around while playing one of the youngest rotations in the league. Good luck to Cam on his next team. I will be glad when he’s no longer on the roster.

Sam: The team still needs a Theo Pinson, why not him? 

Alex: The Knicks need to shit or get off the damn pot already. And hopefully get a playable guy back for Reddish so the roster spot stops being useless.

What’s your Knicks prediction for the trade deadline?

Prez: They come away with OG and Eric Gordon.

Miranda: They come away with nothing. I can’t shake the feeling this front office is like when you’re in a store and find two of whatever it is your favorite things is – video games; sneakers; for me lately it’s been rough gems. You only have enough money for one, but man you rrrrreally, really want both. So you try bartering with the owner, but it’s never gonna happen ‘cuz no matter how you try, you can’t change the material reality that you don’t have enough for both. Rose wants to keep his assets for The Superstar Trade We’re Always Waiting For, but also wants to improve the role players. There’s no star to trade for at the moment and I doubt Rose gives up what it’d take for an Anunoby or a GTJ, ‘cuz then he wouldn’t have enough left to trade for a star. By the way, have you ever held pennies really tightly in your hand for a really long time on a hot day – like, squeezing tight – then smelled your hand after? It’s gross.

Collin: With the Kyrie Irving-Dallas Mavericks news in tow, I think the Knicks are better positioned to acquire OG Anunoby for a number of reasons. Go get ‘em Leon!

Derek: Nothing happens.

Drew: Saddiq Bey will be a Knick and Cam Reddish will no longer be.

Zach: They find new homes for Cam Reddish and Derrick Rose, while Brock Aller pulls some signature nerd stuff to net a couple of extra second-round picks. 

Shwinnypooh: Cam gets moved for a few seconds and an expiring contract, and the Raptors don’t like the Knicks’ top offer but don’t have any other suitors offering what they want, so they keep OG until the summer.

Sam: I think two of Cam, Rose and Fournier are all gone for some sort of decent value. 

Alex: They’ll move Cam for basically nothing. Same with Rose. I think the surprise is they actually get off Fournier too, somehow. Until proven otherwise, I’m going to assume they won’t go for the big(-ish) swing and go for an Anunoby. But I hope they at least take a flier on a bench scorer.

Lastly, if YOU were at the top of the New York front office, what kind of move would YOU pursue this deadline?

Prez: I would simply get all the draft picks possible and listen to Prez as much as possible.

Miranda: I’d quit holding out for a star, bring in Anunoby and Beasley, make RJ the sixth man and go back to a 10-man rotation. A competitive team with a roster full of players under 30 and a surplus of draft picks the next few years will attract the star you deserve. Don’t be a hard rock when you really are a gem, Knicks. I’d also see if the modern ethos os positionless-ness extends to front offices and try to work James Dolan into the OG trade to acquire Masai Ujiri. Then I’d make Masai the Knicks’ new owner. I have to imagine he’d do a better job than the current placeholder, plus he seems to hate the Nets and this is a good time for an owner who will have something clever and biting to say about Brooklyn.

Collin: Taj Gibson reunion, anyone? …I really feel like Anunoby is the move to make here. Barring any ridiculous asking price from Ujiri, I’d pull the trigger on this, and find Cam Reddish a new home. Then, no matter the season’s outcome, I could sleep pretty comfortably next summer knowing I’d explored all options. 

Derek: Acquire OG Anunoby. Extend Immanuel Quickley. Continue to explore price to get off Evan Fournier. Do right by Obi Toppin. Listen to Prez as little as possible.

Drew: I would be trying to get Anunoby. If you listen to the Strickland’s Mail.bag Podcast, you would know that having Anunoby on the roster allows significant flexibility if a star like, I don’t know, Devin Booker becomes available in the offseason. Other than that, just keep riding this out and see where it goes.

Zach: I would pursue the long-rumored Cam Reddish for Reggie Bullock swap*. Not only would this move send Knicks Twitter into a complete frenzy, but Bullock has knocked down 42% of his corner threes this season, and has been a serviceable defender for the majority of his career. Bully also has six inches of height over Miles McBride (unless you’re counting hair), and I think his added size would give the Knicks’ bench unit a much-needed boost. 

*only if Tom Thibodeau signs an agreement to not play Bullock any more than 12 minutes per. 

Shwinnypooh: I would offer the three protected picks received on draft night for OG, and if Toronto balks, I am content to do nothing other than dump Cam and tell Thibs he has to play Obi at least 18-20 minutes a night.

Sam: I would probably keep it simple and acquire Gary Trent Jr. to improve the Knicks’ bench scoring and go back to a 10-man rotation while also telling Thibs to give Obi some more run. 

Alex: I’d try to find whatever star player is secretly available and just make the godfather offer for them rather than going crazy trying to get Anunoby. Otherwise, I’d probably settle for Anunoby for the three protected picks if Toronto is willing to play ball. I’d potentially give up all four of the protected picks (including Dallas’ this year) to get both OG and Trent. With greater expectations comes a greater chance that Thibs gets fired at the end of the year and this team can get the coach on board to take them to the next level.