Getty Mitchell Robinson goes for a rebound against the Indiana Pacers.
The New York Knicks made the biggest move of the offseason when they traded for Mikal Bridges. After adding Bridges, they also re-signed OG Anunoby, giving them one of the best wing duos in the NBA.
However, that put them in jeopardy of being hard-capped at the first apron, which teams are trying to avoid. Due to that, the Knicks could look to shed salary. They need to shed about $4.3 million to avoid the first apron.
James L. Edwards III of The Athletic proposed a deal to help them with that. His proposal would see the Knicks move Mitchell Robinson, Deuce McBride, and picks for Jalen Duren and Jaden Ivey of the Detroit Pistons.
Knicks would get: Duren, Ivey
Pistons would get: Robinson, McBride, 2025 first-round pick (via Detroit), and multiple future second-round picks
“The Knicks have been a hot topic this offseason. They gave up a boatload of draft picks to get Mikal Bridges from Brooklyn and are bringing back OG Anunoby, giving the title contenders one of the best wing duos in the NBA,” Edwards wrote on July 3. “That move, though, also puts New York in jeopardy of being hard-capped at the first apron, which, by all accounts, isn’t something the team is interested in.
“The Knicks need to shed about $4.3 million to avoid this. Detroit can capitalize on this given its remaining financial flexibility while still addressing needs in the process.”
Edwards wrote that this trade would shed $6.5 million for the Knicks, which would be more than what they need to avoid that first apron.
“For New York, this trade sheds $6.5 million in salary, so the financial goal is met. Additionally, per league sources, the Knicks were very interested in Ivey during the 2022 NBA Draft and nearly traded for him,” Edwards wrote.
“A move like this would allow the Knicks to have some young, lottery-pick prospects in the pipeline who can also contribute right now.”
Knicks Have Talked to Other Teams About Mitchell
The New York Knicks had trade talks about Robinson with the Washington Wizards, according to Ian Begley of SNY on June 23. However, the Wizards have since landed Jonas Valanciunas, and former Knicks center Isaiah Hartenstein signed with the Oklahoma City Thunder.
“So the fact that Mitchell Robinson’s name has come up in some of the Knicks’ trade conversations with opposing teams isn’t all that surprising (The Wizards are among the teams whose talks with the Knicks have included dialogue on Robinson. I’m sure several other teams have talked to New York about Robinson, their 26-year-old starting center),” Begley wrote.
Losing Hartenstein could change things for the Knicks, as Robinson is now the only center on the team. However, it’s still of note that Robinson has been in trade talks. Duren would fill that exact role and is much younger, which could intrigue the Knicks.
How Duren and Ivey Would Help the Knicks
Landing Duren and Ivey would give the New York Knicks two potential young stars. After losing RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley in the trade that landed Anunoby, getting Duren and Ivey would help replace them.
Duren, 20, averaged 13.8 points and 11.6 rebounds a season ago. He shot an efficient 61.9% from the field.
Ivey, 22, was the No. 5 pick in the 2022 NBA draft. He averaged 15.4 points per game last year but shot just 42.9% from the field and 33.6% from 3-point range on 4.8 attempts per game.
Both players are young but have proven enough to show that they could make an impact on a contending team like the Knicks. Duren, especially, would be a great addition, as Robinson has dealt with injuries throughout his career.