Knicks Trade Proposal Adds $60 Million ‘Game-Changer’ to Replace Hartenstein

Getty Knicks ex-center Isaiah Hartenstein, whom the team is trying to replace.

No doubt, the chief remaining aim of the Knicks this summer is to land themselves a backup big man to replace Isaiah Hartenstein, who was a key fixture on the roster last year, and chipped in to a memorable Knicks season—and postseason—both as a reserve and as a starter when Mitchell Robinson was injured. There are a few ways the Knicks could go with this spot, and the most likely is probably the least titillating for the Knicks faithful: re-signing Precious Achiuwa on a minimum contract.

But the fact that the Knicks have not yet done that leaves open the possibility that they’re still exploring some options. And while they’d like to get a bargain in the door, which was part of what made Hartenstein so valuable last year (in the second year of a two-year, $17 million contract), team insider Ian Begley of SNY reported the Knicks were looking at players with bloated contracts who could be dumped by their current teams.

“I think they’ve also had casual trade talks with some high-salaried veteran centers on the trade market. So we’ll continue to keep an eye on that,” Begley said this week.

In asking around about “high-salaried” centers who are up on the trade market, several names came up, but one that would be an interesting fit with the Knicks stands out: veteran Bulls big man Nikola Vucevic.

Nikola Vucevic Has 4 All-Star Appearances

Vucevic has the credentials. Sure, he is not the gritty defensive guy that coach Tom Thibodeau prefers, but he has some veteran savvy, with 13 seasons of experience, including four that yielded All-Star spots.

He averaged 18.5 points and 10.5 rebounds last year, and though he shot only 29.4% from the 3-point line, he has been a capable shooter from the arc in his career (34.1%), and would add a stretch-5 element to the Knicks that they just do not have. That could be vital in keeping pace with the 3-point-heavy Celtics.

Vucevic is entering the second year of a three-year, $60 million contract he signed last offseason. At 33 years old, he still has value, but taking on two years of his deal could well sour the Knicks on pursuing him this summer.

“He could get moved this summer, there have been teams kicking the tires on him,” one Western Conference executive told Heavy Sports. “But with the contract he has, it is more likely he gets moved during the season, at the (NBA trade) deadline.

“The Knicks, that is not really Tom’s kind of big man, but when you look at Boston, they can play five-out. They can put five shooters on the floor. That is going to be key for any team that wants to keep up with them. The Knicks can’t do that, but you add a guy like (Vucevic) and that’s a game-changer.”

Knicks Could Gamble to Keep Up With the Celtics

The problem for the Knicks in a potential trade for Vucevic is making the money work. They would have to send out power forward Julius Randle in a deal, and it is unlikely the Bulls, entering a rebuild, want to take on Randle. The Knicks could add draft picks to entice the Bulls, but the Knicks view Randle as a valuable asset—he was an All-Star last year—not as a toxic contract that needs picks attached to move.

Adding a third team and another player from the Bulls, either guard Ayo Dosunmu or Coby White, for example, could land Chicago some draft compensation.

The other option for the Knicks would be to trade Robinson to the Bulls as part of a Vucevic package, which would leave the team without a defensive-minded big man in the rotation. But the Knicks could bring back Achiuwa to fill that role—it’s easier to find a defensive center to replace Robinson than it is to find one who can shoot and spread the floor.

It’s not a perfect fit, and the Knicks have done well to be careful in their construction of this team. They’ll be a contender in the East, no doubt. To really take on the Celtics, though, they may need to take a chance.