The New York Knicks have a lot of questions to answer for the rest of the year while their descent out of contention continues.
After not making a move at the NBA trade deadline, the Knicks now have to go through the rest of the season with the same under performing roster they have been all year. There have been some encouraging signs by some of the players, namely Julius Randle and Mitchell Robinson as of late.
Randle has had a good stretch of games in February, but the end result hasn’t been victories for the Knicks like many fans would’ve liked. Robinson has also been coming on strong as of late, and he’s actually becoming his own critic.
What the Knicks do with him in the offseason will be very interesting because he’s going to be looking for a pay day. With Taj Gibson, Nerlens Noel and Jericho Sims on the roster, it might be hard for the team to justify paying another center, but it’d be a major blow if he walked in free agency.
An NBA executive speaking to Heavy’s Sean Deveney revealed the list of teams that could be in the running this offseason. We know from reports that the Pistons tried to pry Robinson away from the Knicks, but they aren’t the only team with eyes on the young big man.
Where Will Robinson Go?
If the Knicks can’t come to an agreement on a new deal, Robinson will find suitors from all over the league. Deveney reveals there are some other Eastern Conference rivals in the mix.
“They did have some offers on the table from the Bulls and Detroit, they could have gotten something for the guy but they chose not to—they may be thinking one of those trade exception deals, they do a sign-and-trade with him, wind up with a trade exception,” he said. “Maybe that’s the thinking. Some teams I have been told to watch, the Heat will have their full midlevel next year, would be an interesting frontcourt with him and Bam Adebayo, a couple of shot-blockers there. Certainly, a team to watch. And anytime a big man comes up, Charlotte comes up almost like it is just a reaction. That would be interesting.”
Robinson catching lobs from LaMelo Ball would be a nice sight to see, but that would not be the ideal situation for Knicks fans.
At this point, it’s tough to say where things are trending for Robinson and the Knicks, but he’s definitely a player that will continue to improve if he’s able to stay healthy.
Trade Coming?
Another option for the Knicks would be to swing for the fences and land a big name player through a trade.
The Los Angeles Lakers star Anthony Davis has come up in talks, and he would definitely prove the be a major upgrade over Robinson if that were to ever become possible.
There’s still a lot of season left and there’s no telling how things are going to turn out. If the Lakers continue their downward trend, then perhaps Davis could find himself traded in the offseason.
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NBA Exec Reveals Possible Suitors for Key Knicks Free Agent: Insider