Knicks Trade Rumors: Reviewing Latest Chatter on 2023 Deadline Day
The New York Knicks traded Cam Reddish to the Portland Trailblazers in exchange for Josh Hart and a lottery-protected 2023 first-round draft pick, but that may not be the only action the team sees ahead of Thursday's 3:00 p.m. trade deadline.
Rumors abound surrounding veterans Derrick Rose and Evan Fournier and potential suitors, while the organization continues to be referenced in discussions surrounding Toronto forward OG Anunoby.
Find out the latest on all three of those players and just how realistic a move may be with this collection of NBA insider reports.
Bucks Interested in Derrick Rose
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Derrick Rose has been the league's Most Valuable Player and appeared in an NBA Finals during his time with Chicago, but he has yet to attain the elusive ring.
NBA insider Marc Stein reported the Milwaukee Bucks have expressed interest in Rose, a move that, should it happen, would give Rose his greatest opportunity for a championship since that MVP season with the Bulls.
Rose carries a $15.6 million club option entering the 2023-24 season according to Spotrac and the Knicks would certainly entertain the idea of utilizing him as trade bait, especially if a team like Milwaukee is willing to entertain the move.
The veteran player has seen his minutes cut in half this season and as a result, his numbers are down across the board. Included in that are field goals and three-point percentages that rank among the worst of his career.
Rose still has flashes of the brilliance that once made him one of the players with the brightest future in the league, though, and his veteran presence would only add to a locker room in Milwaukee that has already won a world title in 2021.
He would struggle for minutes given Jrue Holiday and Jevon Carter would certainly be on the depth chart ahead of him, but he could slide into the mentoring role that he has had in New York and provide experience as needed in the back end of the rotation.
The Bucks are currently the second seed in the Eastern Conference and are riding an eight-game winning streak. They are the hottest team in the NBA and have to be considered a favorite to hoist the Larry O'Brien trophy in this summer.
Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau, who coached Rose in Chicago, has made it clear he hopes the youngest MVP in league history is not traded.
Knicks Not Interested in Attaching Draft Picks for Evan Fournier
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Evan Fournier is in the midst of one of his worst seasons in the pros and the Knicks would very much like to move on from him if possible. So much so that the team is reportedly not interested in attaching any draft picks to a trade involving the 12th-year player, according to The Athletic's Fred Katz.
Prior to Wednesday's trade that sent Jarred Vanderbilt and Malik Beasley to Los Angeles, Michael Scotto of Hoops Hype reported that the Knicks had been in discussions with Utah to send Fournier and Obi Toppin to the Jazz in return for those two players.
Fournier carries a $19 million club option next season, one that New York would seemingly not be inclined to pick up, meaning they would move on from the veteran shooting guard at the end of this current season regardless.
There is always the chance that the former Magic and Celtics player will be able to rebound from a sluggish first-half and provide a boost to the Knicks as they chase a playoff berth. A solid career shooter, he could be an asset on the back half of the rotation if he can bounce back from an underwhelming start.
If that is the case, and the team has not already found a suitor, the Knicks may benefit from keeping him on the roster and getting more out of a potential deal later on.
As it is now, Fournier is averaging just over seven points on 18.7 minutes and the worst field goal percentage (.353) of his career.
Raptors Asking Price for OG Anunoby Too Steep for New York?
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Toronto's asking price for forward OG Anunoby is reportedly "quite steep" for opposing general managers, including the Knicks, Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports reported.
This, despite reports from Ian Begley of SNY and Shams Charania that New York was comfortable offering multiple first-round picks for Anunoby.
Anunoby has established himself as one of the best defenders in the league and a candidate for Defensive Player of the Year this season. He has accumulated a career high in steals (2.1), rebounds (5.5) and blocks (0.8), while also having his second highest points-per-game (16.9).
In a gritty Eastern Conference, a player like Anunoby can be the difference maker in the Knicks' pursuit of their first championship since 1973.
There would still be questions about the team's ability to score as much as it would have to in order to keep up with the likes of Milwaukee, Boston and Philadelphia, even with Jalen Brunson playing some of the best ball of his career.
The question then becomes whether Anunoby's contributions would justify "multiple" first-round picks or if the Knicks could acquire utility defenders while focusing their attention on bringing in a marquee name to help with scoring.
The answer likely fluctuates depending on whether offense or defense is valued more by the person on the receiving end of the question.
Still, being able to take the ball away and win possession for his team in crucial moments may be more than enough for the Knicks to feel comfortable taking the risk.
Especially in a league where trading Kevin Durant just netted the Brooklyn Nets four first rounders from Phoenix.
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