Knicks Trade Pitch Flips Jericho Sims for Former Lottery Pick Center

While the New York Knicks have loaded up on wings and locked up Jalen Brunson for four more seasons on a team-friendly deal, they still have a massive Isaiah Hartenstein hole to fill.

Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley suggested the Knicks should consider trading for Detroit Pistons‘ young center Jalen Duren built around a future first-round pick and Jericho Sims.

“It’s hard to say what the Pistons would want for Duren, but the Knicks should probably plan for a package featuring a first-round pick, Jericho Sims and something else—whether that’s an additional first or a good second-rounder (Brooklyn’s 2025 second, for instance). That might be worth the comfort of knowing there’s not only a capable center behind Robinson, but one also able to step into a starting role if (when?) the injury bug strikes Robinson again,” Buckley wrote.

The Knicks can send back the Pistons’ pick in next year’s NBA Draft in this hypothetical Duren trade if they are going to tank again for a chance to get Cooper Flagg. The Pistons’ pick (part of the three first-round protected picks that Knicks acquired from the Ousmane Dieng trade with the Oklahoma City Thunder) has a top-13 protection in next year’s draft.

Detroit tried to re-acquire that pick in the Bojan Bogdanovic and Alec Burks trade deadline deal but the Knicks did not relent, per The Athletic.

Duren, originally selected 13th overall by the Charlotte Hornets in 2022 passed through the Knicks in a crazy Draft Day trade with the Pistons which then allowed the Knicks to open up cap room to sign Jalen Brunson in free agency.

The 6-foot-10 Duren blossomed into a walking double-double for the Pistons last season, averaging career-highs of 13.8 points and 11.6 rebounds. His 2.4 assists per game was also a career-high.

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Another Center Option for Knicks

According to Hoopshype’s Michael Scotto, one of the Knicks’ other trade options is ex-Kentucky Wildcat Nick Richards of the Hornets.

“The Knicks have also made inquiries on the trade market, showing interest in Jazz center Walker Kessler, league sources told HoopsHype, along with Hornets center Nick Richards, as previously reported by HoopsHype,” Scotto wrote on July 2. 

The 7-foot Richards has vastly improved over the last two seasons and his coming off his best season in the NBA.

After averaging 8.2 points and 6.4 rebounds during the 2022-23 season, his game went a notch up this past season.

Richards, who boasts a 7’4 wingspan, started in 51 of 67 games for the  Hornets last season. He averaged 10.1 points 8.8 rebounds and 1.2 blocks as a starter.

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Isaiah Hartenstein Explains Tough Decision to Leave Knicks

Hartenstein admitted it was a tough decision to leave the Knicks for the Oklahoma City Thunder, who offered him not only a more lucrative contract but more room for growth.

“If I’m being honest it was hard,” Hartenstein said during his Thunder introductory press conference. “I love my teammates out in New York, I really appreciate everything [head coach Tom] Thibodeau and Leon [Rose] did for me, and the fans in New York showed a lot of love.

“But from afar I always saw how the culture was since they’ve been down in OKC, they established the culture and the style of play, it’s something that’s really exciting to me and I think I can really expand my game here.”

Hartenstein signed a three-year, $87 million deal with the Thunder, which was more than the Knicks’s maximum offer ($72 million over four years) via his early Bird Rights.

The German-American center, who was on a bargain two-year, $16 million with the Knicks, blossomed into a key cog in their playoff run last season.

In 64 starts, including the playoffs this season, Hartenstein averaged 9.1 rebounds, 8.6 points, 3.2 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.2 blocks.

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