Getty Head coach Tom Thibodeau of the New York Knicks directs his team in the first quarter against the Indiana Pacers.
With the NBA trade deadline now less than a month away, many still find themselves wondering what the New York Knicks could decide to do with their roster makeup and bevy of expendable assets.
Boasting a record of 25-20, the Knickerbockers have proven to be a solid team that could find themselves gunning for a playoff spot come regular season’s end.
However, while Tom Thibodeau’s squad may be good, Jonathan Macri of Knicks Film School stated on a January 17 episode of Jake Fischer’s “Please Don’t Aggregate This” podcast that they’re still “a move away, probably two moves away” from getting even better, and went on to construct a deal he thinks the Knicks should consider making this season for Rockets guard, Eric Gordon.
The trade proposal reads as follows:
New York Knicks receive:
- Eric Gordon
Houston Rockets receive:
- Derrick Rose or Evan Fournier
- Protected first-round pick
ICYMI…
@JCMacriNBA joined @JakeLFischer of @YahooSports on his show “Please Don’t Aggregate This” via the @getcallin app!
You can hear the full conversation about the 2022-23 Knicks, IQ’s leap, potential trades & much more on the KFS pod feed!
Citing his veteran experience coupled with their lack of trustworthy depth, Macri would go on to argue that a guy like Gordon could prove to be an ideal addition to this postseason-hopeful Knicks team.
“I’m incredibly intrigued by the idea of Eric Gordon…Is he a little small? Do you definitely want to go with a guard route as the guy you acquire? Maybe not, but at the same time…he’s short but he’s big. He’s a switchable guy, he has the playoff experience that I imagine they would value, he’s obviously a good shooter…Whatever they value the least of the, it’s a Detroit pick, a Wizards pick, a Bucks pick, and then this year’s Dallas pick, whichever one of those they value the least, like could they get him for that and, like, maybe try to unload Fournier in the process. That’s the sort of thing that I’m thinking of,” Macri said.
While Macri’s main objective when it comes to piecing together a Houston-bound package seems to be having Evan Fournier’s remaining two years under contract included, he would also state that Derrick Rose should be an option as well.
Eric Gordon splits the defense! 💥🔨
Now, this is certainly not the first time the 34-year-old has been found tabbed as a possible trade target for the Knicks this season and, until the February 9th deadline passes, it almost certainly will not be the last.
Throughout his 15-year career, Eric Gordon has managed to establish himself as a trusty scoring threat, particularly when coming off the pine as he won the league’s Sixth Man of the Year award back during the 2016-17 season and has finished within the top two in the category twice.
Boasting career averages of 16.2 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game on 37% shooting from deep, it would appear that he would be of great service to a Knicks team that could use some extra offensive threats to help shoulder the load for the team’s scoring agenda while Macri seems to believe that his proven production both in the regular season as well as during the playoffs could be of great value to Tom Thibodeau’s rather youthful roster.
Knicks May Not Need to Give Up a First
Report: Houston Rockets want a 1st-round pick for Eric Gordon
Though reports are that the Houston Rockets are looking to acquire a first-round pick in exchange for their veteran guard’s services, podcast host and Yahoo Sports’ senior NBA reporter Jake Fischer seems to be under the impression that such an asking price will not be met.
“I would be surprised if any team gives a first for Eric Gordon, but the Rockets seem pretty drawn in the sand that they’re not gonna move him without it so maybe someone blinks on the other side,” Fischer said during the episode.
As Macri stated in his trade proposal, the Knicks have a bevy of first-round draft capital at their disposal that could theoretically be used to land them a talent upgrade prior to the deadline.
However, though they could feasibly outbid any team in any possible trade pursuits this season, Fischer seems to believe they may not need to throw any of these assets into the conversation should they enter trade talks for Eric Gordon.
Knicks Could ‘Go Star-Chasing’
Though the most likely trade season scenario for the Knicks is that they’ll wind up making a few smaller moves to better round out their rotation as they gear up for a playoff push, there are those who believe the franchise could be open to taking a big swing on the trade market, with some even suggesting they could “go star-chasing.”
In a January 11 piece by Bleacher Report, writer Greg Swartz went about and listed three specific trade targets each team should look to pursue before February’s deadline, and, when it came to New York, the players he mentioned were either already established All-Stars like Bradley Beal and Zach LaVine or a rising-star in OG Anunoby.
“Few teams have the kind of draft capital the Knicks possess, and even the strong play of Julius Randle and Jalen Brunson has New York just seventh in the East.
Adding a premier scorer like Beal or LaVine is at least worth checking the price on for the Knicks, taking this offense to an elite level.
If the asking price is too high, Anunoby may actually be the better fit overall. Plugging the defensive juggernaut into a lineup that features Brunson, RJ Barrett, Randle and Mitchell Robinson would give this core plenty of size, scoring and now an elite defender on the perimeter.
Don’t be shy, New York. Make some calls,” Swartz wrote.
Along with this aforementioned trio, other noteworthy talents that have been linked to the Knicks as being possible trade options this season include Kyle Kuzma, Gary Trent Jr., and Josh Hart.