3 Trade Targets for Knicks to Consider Before Rumor Mill Picks Up

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It's been a one-step-forward, one-step-back kind of season for the New York Knicks.

Through the early goings of the 2022-23 NBA campaign, the 'Bockers have yet to establish any kind of consistency and failed to establish themselves as an above-average team on either end of the floor.

It's too early to abandon hope for this season, though, and the Knicks have shown little inclination of tearing apart this roster.

If anything, New York figures to operate as more of a buyer than seller this trade season, so let's identify three win-now targets who are worth monitoring ahead of basketball's biggest swap meet.

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The Knicks have a glut of point guards and not enough minutes to go around for their bigs. If they're searching for upgrades on the trade market, the wing spots should have their full attention.

Eric Gordon has combo-guard size (6'3", 215 lbs), but he's skilled and smart enough to play anywhere between the 1 and 3 spots. Most importantly, he provides positives on both ends of the floor, which could have him moving quickly up the pecking order in this rotation.

On offense, he might be best as a spot-up shooter, but he can create off the dribble for himself and his teammates. Since the start of last season, he has averaged 2.1 threes on 39.8 percent shooting. Those numbers alone should interest the Knicks, whose 31.5 three-point percentage ranks worst in the Eastern Conference and 29th overall.

Gordon, who turns 34 in December, clearly doesn't have a future with the rebuilding Rockets. And if that keeps his trade cost at a reasonable point, the Knicks should try to strike.

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Kelly Oubre Jr. is something of an NBA nomad, having spent his seven-plus seasons with four different teams. The Knicks might want to think about becoming his fifth NBA employer.

The 26-year-old has never been quite consistent enough for a team to lock him down for the long haul, but his length, athleticism and two-way talent keep attracting suitors.

It would help if his outside shot was more reliable (career 33.1 percent), but if it was, he might cost a fortune in a trade. Given his shooting limitations and the fact he has more career turnovers (518) than assists (504), he shouldn't be too pricey, particularly if Charlotte isn't keen on covering the cost of his upcoming unrestricted free agency.

The Knicks could be positioned to bring out Oubre's best. They wouldn't always need his scoring, which should allow him to hone his defense and off-ball activity, but they should be able to find enough shots to keep him fully engaged.

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Josh Richardson turned 29 in September. He'll be an unrestricted free agent after this season.

His days with the rebuilding Spurs should be numbered.

His defense and long-distance shooting should be firmly on the Knicks' radar. The fact that he offers a pinch of off-the-dribble creativity only adds to his appeal.

If the Knicks squeeze enough star power—or star-caliber production—out of players like RJ Barrett, Julius Randle and Jalen Brunson, they will need more low-maintenance role players such as Richardson.

The Tennessee product is well-established as an above-average shooter at this point (career 36.5 percent), but his flashes of elite splashing (two seasons of 41-plus percent shooting) suggest he could be just the kind of spacer this offense needs.