Knicks' Biggest Needs at 2023 NBA Trade Deadline
The New York Knicks are leveling up at the right time.
Buoyed by a pair of winning streaks spanning at least four games each, the 'Bockers have posted a 12-7 record since the start of December with the NBA's fourth-best net rating over this stretch (plus-6.8, per NBA.com).
Suddenly, it feels safe to dare to dream big ahead of the upcoming trade deadline.
If the front office feels this roster is rounding into form, then it could take an aggressive approach into basketball's biggest swap meet. The Knicks have the trade chips needed to chase stars, part-time role players or anything in between, putting them on the short list of teams to track over the next month.
As New York readies itself to navigate the trade landscape, let's look at the biggest needs on its roster.
Defensive-Minded Wing
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Something happened right before the Knicks hit their stride this season: Quentin Grimes was promoted to the starting lineup.
The change came in late November, and the wins started coming in bunches shortly thereafter.
It's not that Grimes is a great player per se, but he is a great fit for this roster. He plays a low-maintenance game on the offensive end (providing spot-up threes, timely cuts and a pinch of a playmaking) and gives this group a malleable, high-energy, 6'5" stopper on the other end.
The Knicks need more of those. They have shot-blocking bigs around the basket and pesky on-ball defenders in the backcourt, but they need more options to throw at the premier big-wing scorers who often dominate this league.
Perimeter Shooting
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New York's 10th-ranked offense isn't bad, but it could be even harder to handle if it had more room to breathe.
The Knicks do a lot of their damage inside the arc, which makes sense when two of their top players, Julius Randle and RJ Barrett, are inside-the-arc scorers. Surrounding those players with more sharpshooters would give them even more room to operate.
New York has tried to field a three-point-focused offense. Only nine teams have topped its 35.2 three-point attempts per game.
The problem is the Knicks haven't converted enough of those chances. They rank just 26th in accuracy with a 33.9 percent conversion rate. Several players have had a rough-go from three, none more than Evan Fournier, whose career-worst 31.3 three-point percentage saw him banished from the rotation before injuries to others forced him back out on the floor.
Star Power
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While neither of Randle or Jalen Brunson feels like a no-doubt All-Star lock, it's possible one or both will get the nod.
Randle is one of four players averaging both 20-plus points and double-digit rebounds, while Brunson has paired career-highs of 21.6 points and 6.5 assists with an efficient 46.9/38.1/84.5 shooting slash.
They have earned All-Star consideration, if not an official selection. What they haven't done, though, is scratched the organization's itch for a centerpiece superstar.
Admittedly, chances are slim (to none) that New York will nab one between now and the deadline, but as long as that void goes unfilled, this need will remain atop the organization's wish list.
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