Former NBA champion and currently ESPN analyst Kendrick Perkins has installed the New York Knicks as a legitimate championship contender after Thursday’s trade deadline.
The Knicks addressed their issues as they bolstered their depth with the acquisition of veterans Alec Burks and Bojan Bogdanovic in a trade that was lauded around the NBA. They pulled it off without surrendering any first-round pick.
“The only thing that the Knicks were missing was depth. And right now they’re deeper than the Pacific Ocean and everybody else in the Eastern Conference needs to get life jackets, including the Boston Celtics,” Perkins boldly declared on NBA Today on February 8, moments after the Knicks pulled off the trade with the Detroit Pistons. “This New York Knicks team is a legit title contender this season.”
The Knicks only had to give up Quentin Grimes, a former first-round pick who had fallen out of favor, two second-round picks and the matching salaries of players who were out of the rotation (Evan Fournier, Ryan Arcidiacono and Malachi Flynn).
Deepest Team in NBA?
Burks and Bogjanovic will come in to hold the fort for the 33-19 Knicks while their key starters Julius Randle (shoulder) and OG Anunoby (elbow) are on the mend.
And once their roster gets healthy, the Knicks will have one of the deepest, if not the deepest, teams in the NBA.
Their starting five has it all — elite perimeter (Anunoby) and rim (Mitchell Robinson) defenders, solid catch-and-shoot wings (Anunoby and Donte DiVincenzo) and the dynamic duo of their All-Stars Jalen Brunson and Randle.
Burks and Bogjanovic will slide to the bench and spearhead a second unit filled with players who can start for other teams.
Josh Hart, Precious Achiuwa and Isaiah Hartenstein have all earned their stripes in spot-starting roles amid the team’s rash of injuries.
The Knicks are suddenly 10-man deep with size and veteran experience in every position which made Perkins believe this team is ripe for a title run.
“And if anybody else says anything different then they haven’t been watching the Knicks play,” Perkins said. “When you look at Tom Thibodeau, they have established since day one an identity on both ends of the floor, and now you have more offensive firepower with the addition that they already added to OG Anunoby.
This team has depth. They have zero flaws. They have a closer in Jalen Bronson. This team is ready right now to compete for a title.”
OG Anunoby Gets Minor Surgery
The Knicks announced a few hours after the trade that Anunoby had successful surgery to remove a loose bone fragment from his right elbow.
Anunoby, who was listed day-to-day and missed the Knicks’ last six games before the surgery was announced, will be re-evaluated in 3 weeks.
His lingering injury went from elbow inflammation to bone spur irritation which necessitated the surgery.
“He had tried resting but this procedure turned out to be the best route to get him fully healed and playing again for the stretch run and postseason, sources said,” ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported on X, formerly Twitter.
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NBA Champion Issues Warning After Knicks Trade Deadline Moves: ‘Get Life Jackets’