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Despite inquiries from opposing ball clubs, the New York Knicks have been reluctant to include the likes of Jericho Sims and Miles McBride in trade packages this summer, per a report from The Athletic’s Fred Katz.
With this, it simultaneously sparked the question of who amongst Tom Thibodeau’s current crop of ballers are considered the most likely to be offloaded at some point in the near future, with a pre-set timeline by a fan being now until the 2023-24 trade deadline.
Through the “powers of deduction,” Katz compiled a list of three players he believes to be the ones fans should be monitoring when it comes to their life expectancy in the Big Apple moving forward.
No. 1: Evan Fournier
First up on the list is easily the least shocking of names that could have possibly been mentioned in Evan Fournier.
Since being scratched almost entirely from the Knicks rotation back in mid-November, rumors have swirled regarding his shaky future in New York and, since the club’s second-round playoff exit against the Miami Heat, such talk has only grown louder and more aggressive.
It is because of this that Katz acknowledged Fournier’s inclusion on his list was rather simple and, considering his current contract situation, he is someone who could be used to strike a rather lucrative deal on the trade block.
“His utility right now is that he’s on an $18.9 million expiring contract, a salary that could help facilitate a top-dollar trade. The Knicks could deal for a player who makes up to $20.8 million using only Fournier’s money,” Katz wrote.
Though the vast majority of recent trade proposals involving the veteran sharpshooter have him being exchanged for mere role players, Katz believes that Fournier’s contract coupled with “another player or two” could see the Knicks “bring back even more.”
Of course, this brings us to the second player mentioned on the beat writer’s list.
No. 2: RJ Barrett
After inking his lucrative four-year, $120 million extension with the Knicks last offseason, RJ Barrett went on to post a wildly complex 2022-23 campaign.
Though his per-game averages of 19.6 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 2.8 assists are certainly impressive on their own he shot a lackluster 43.4 percent from the field, 31.0 percent from deep, and sported a lowly box plus-minus of -3.1.
Now coming into his first season under his new deal, there are questions rising pertaining to whether Barrett is actually worthy of his $26.7 million average price point which, in Katz’s eyes, makes him a current Knicks player who could be moved prior to the deadline, and suggests it could even come in a move along with Evan Fournier.
“And that brings us to Barrett, the second player on the three-man list — not just because he’s young and talented but also because of all that dough rolling in,” Katz wrote. “…pairing Fournier and Barrett — whose four-year, $107 million extension kicks in this season — together would allow New York to get ambitious. The Knicks could bring back up to $45.9 million in 2023-24 salary by trading just those two. Considering this team has been on the star hunt since the Martin Van Buren administration, both have to be on the list.”
Since New York’s season came to an end on May 12, Barrett has seen his name slandered a bit, particularly by Bleacher Report’s Andy Bailey who just recently deemed the wing as the second most overrated NBA player from over the last five years.
In Katz’s opinion, the Knicks could wind up considering the idea of parting ways with their former third overall selection via trade, especially if it means bringing on a more established contributor in the process.
No. 3: Immanuel Quickley
Arguably the most surprising player to be found on this list, Immanuel Quickley takes the third and final spot based on Katz’s analysis.
In his breakdown, the choice here was between either him or Quentin Grimes, and, while letting go of either guard would be a tough pill for the Knicks to swallow, ultimately, the Sixth Man of the Year runner-up made the cut based largely on finances.
“Grimes still has another year after this one on his rookie-scale deal. He can become a restricted free agent in 2025. But Quickley is expiring. He’s been eligible for an extension for more than a month, but the Knicks haven’t given him one, which could be for various reasons,” Katz wrote.
Unlike the other two players listed, Quickley is the only one who finds himself coming off a highly acclaimed season in 2022-23, as he put forth career-best efforts and posted averages of 14.9 points, 4.2 rebounds, 3.4 assists, and 1.0 steals while shooting 37.0 percent from distance.
Though it appears the point guard is focused on gearing up for yet another impressive run with the Knicks, there are those such as one anonymous executive who recently spoke to Heavy Sports’ NBA insider Sean Deveney that believe, considering his salary demands, Leon Rose and company may be better off just trading him high before committing to any future financial commitments.
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