Getty Isaiah Hartenstein #55 of the New York Knicks celebrates with teammate Precious Achiuwa #5 during the second half against the Chicago Bulls.
The New York Knicks are in the market for another playmaker after losing Immanuel Quickley and a backup big man to help Isaiah Hartenstein while waiting for Mitchell Robinson to recover.
But what if they can trade for a playmaking big who can do both?
ESPN’s NBA front office insider Bobby Marks points to Utah Jazz reserve big man Kelly Olynyk as the perfect trade target for the Knicks to improve around the margin.
“If there’s anything [trade] out there [for Utah], it will probably be Olynyk. I think he’ll be great in New York as far as adding another big who can stretch the floor,” Marks said on the “Hoop Collective” podcast on January 17.
Olynyk, who averages 4.5 assists this season, could compensate for the Quickley playmaking void in the Knicks’ second unit while allowing Miles McBride to continue with his increased role as Jalen Brunson’s backup.
The 6-foot-11 Olynyk is also a solid rebounder, averaging 5.3 per game, including 1.4 offensive rebounds, in 21 minutes for the Jazz this season.
His per-36 minutes numbers are rock-solid: 13.8 points, 9.9 rebounds and 7.7 assists. A trade for Olynyk will help preserve Hartenstein, who’s been playing in the high 30s since Robinson went down, for the playoffs.
Like Hartenstein, Olynyk is on an expiring deal and is set to become an unrestricted free agent. He could be a half-year rental for the Knicks — who have a surplus in draft capital from second-round picks to protected first-round picks from other teams — or he could become a cheaper option if Hartenstein becomes expensive this summer.
Quentin Grimes on the Move?
According to The Athletic’s Fred Katz, the Knicks are ready to move on from Quentin Grimes after resisting to include him in several potential deals, including their failed pursuit of Donovan Mitchell.
“The Knicks are actively fielding offers for the former first-round pick, according to rival executives who have been in contact with New York’s front office,” Katz wrote on January 16.
Grimes has fallen out of favor since he publicly griped about his lack of touches when he was a starter. Yet his demotion to the second unit and the departures of Barrett and Quickley, which allowed him to have a bigger offensive role, is not yielding the desired result.
The 23-year-old Grimes will be extension-eligible this offseason. The Knicks plan to flip him, along with Evan Fournier’s $18.9 million salary, for a facilitator who can play behind or next to Brunson and on an attractive deal they could still include in the package for a star this summer.
9 Potential Knicks Trade Targets for Quentin Grimes
Katz listed nine potential trade candidates with mid-size contracts which could later be included in a star trade that the Knicks could pursue in exchange for Grimes.
“Some players who fit that description include (in no particular order): the Portland Trail Blazers’ Malcolm Brogdon, the Utah Jazz’s Jordan Clarkson and Collin Sexton, the Charlotte Hornets’ Terry Rozier, the Indiana Pacers’ Bruce Brown and T.J. McConnell, the Atlanta Hawks’ Bogdan Bogdanović, the Cleveland Cavaliers’ Caris LeVert and the Dallas Mavericks’ Tim Hardaway Jr.”
The Knicks could theoretically work to fit Grimes and Evan Fournier’s expiring salary plus picks for Olynk and Clarkson.
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NBA Front Office Insider Pitches ‘Great’ Isaiah Hartenstein Backup for Knicks