Knicks Rumors: Trade Buzz Surrounding Terry Rozier, Julius Randle and More

Robbed. (Some of) the NBA community has been robbed.

We were so close to a trade so outlandish that James Dolan had to cut his studio time short—hours before the trade deadline—in order to preemptively fire president Steve Mills. For fans of teams outside of Manhattan, this is thievery of what could have been a bold, underlined, comic-sans exclamation point on the New York Knicks' past decade. 

For fans of the Knicks (and league parity), this is a communal sigh of relief.

As Adrian Wojnarowski reported, Mills was knee-deep in trade discussions when New York fired him and made Morris available. As for what trade was the final straw that forced Dolan into firing Mills after seven years of turning a blind eye to the team's front-office failings? We only have speculation and imagination to draw on now, but I'm sure it was magnificent.

Nevertheless, now that Mills is gone, Dolan is looking at new managerial candidates, Marcus Morris Sr. is available for trade, and New York continues talks with the Charlotte Hornets. 

Although Woj had indicated Dolan's passion for Masai Ujiri's services, he and ESPN's Ramona Shelbourne have since noted the Knicks are pivoting toward more easily obtained candidates, including some from the ranks of player agents. 

SNY's Ian Begley has since reported "CAA's Austin Brown is among those being given internal consideration for the Knicks' presidency opening."

Interim general manager Scott Perry continues to handle trade talks—of which there seem to be many.

Morris, 6'8" and comfortably averaging a career-high 19.6 points per game, is on a one-year, $15 million deal and likely appealing to practically every contender that wants scoring, some size and a bit of snarl. 

While substantive details have yet to emerge surrounding Morris' likely outcome (understandable given his recent removal from the off-limits jar), there has been some headway on a deal with the Charlotte Hornets.

Begley originally noted the Knicks and Hornets had deliberated over players like "Malik Monk, Julius Randle and Terry Rozier" before reporting the Knicks' determination to acquire Rozier was not particularly strong.  

Charlotte likely wanted Randle in order to give up Rozier, and now that Morris is likely gone, New York is probably privy to hanging on to Randle's size and rumbling offensive panache. After failing to acquire Kevin Durant or Kyrie Irving, the Knicks settled on Randle, who has proved to be as inefficient as he is alluring. At 25 years old and 6'8", Randle averaged a career-high 21.4 points last season while shooting 52.4 percent from the field.

New York bought in, and the big Bey Blade's numbers have mostly dropped as he acclimates to the pressure of being a true first option. Thus far this season, Randle is averaging 18.9 points on 44.9 percent shooting from the field and 26.6 percent from three (while taking 4.1 per game). His efficiency seems to have bottomed out, but he's still relatively young, and New York shouldn't be in a rush to sell this low on their investment.

Especially not for Rozier. The former Celtic was also given his chance to be a true option and, like Randle, has not lived up to his team's expectations. Rozier is averaging 18.0 points per game on 42.0 percent shooting from the field and 38.8 percent from three. He takes 15.0 shots per game while Randle takes 15.6, so a swap would acquire a chucking forward for a chucking guard, as far as the box score is concerned. 

Except, the guard is 6'1" and still refuses to play point. Rozier is averaging a career-high 4.2 assists this season, and that excites absolutely no one (other than Kyrie truthers annoyed with Rozier's 2019 antics). He's making about $19 million per year, yet is much less appealing as a point than 2018 second-round pick Devonte' Graham, who has burst out this season and is (also inefficiently) averaging 17.9 points and...7.7 assists, Stockton-esque numbers for the Hornets. 

The Knicks need team-first players who fit RJ Barrett and Mitchell Robinson's timeline, and it's doubtful that adding another point guard, especially one like Rozier, fits that mold.

Still, depending on the assets the Knicks are able to bring in for Morris and Dennis Smith Jr. (who the New York Post's Marc Berman noted is of interest to the Minnesota Timberwolves and Orlando Magic), a smaller deal may still come to fruition surrounding Monk. A second-round pick for Smith Jr., a deal involving Kyle Kuzma for Morris and a fringe move for Monk would all give New York fun gambles to play this season and tools for this offseason.

New York's eyes are seemingly most drawn to Ujiri and D'Angelo Russell, but those are larger fish that ought to take time to catch—time that tomorrow's trade deadline has not afforded to the Knicks.

If Scott Perry is able to make something happen before the deadline, it will likely amount to setting New York's table for the offseason.

Assets like picks and high-upside young players such as Monk, 22, fit the Knicks' timeline and should allow them to make bolder plays ahead of the 2020-21 season.