the SNY Ian Begley I will respond to Knicks questions from readers. Here is the last…
Ian… Maybe the Knicks should trade Mitchell Robinson to Portland for Robert Williams? – @hoppysport
This raises a major question for the Knicks: Do you start the season with what you have or do you try to make a trade immediately for replace the injured Mitchell Robinson?
As noted WednesdayThe Knicks expressed confidence in the team’s depth and versatility in the wake of the new Robinson. In speaking with people in contact with the team, the Knicks seem willing to see what the current roster looks like at the moment. They didn’t look like they were rushing to trade for a starting center.
I can say this with certainty: They’ve known for weeks that Robinson might not be ready for the start of the season. This was communicated to outside parties by the Knicks when they were looking at the central market during the offseason. I’m not sure when the Knicks became aware of Robinson’s current schedule. But it’s fair to assume that the schedule wasn’t a huge surprise internally.
I point this out because if you look at the Knicks’ recent signings – Landry Shamet, Marcus Morris Sr.. – they didn’t operate like a team desperate for a starting-caliber center.
Maybe that changes based on what they see in training camp or preseason. But the Knicks don’t have much opportunity to equalize salaries across trades, short of including Josh Hart, Donte DiVincenzo Or Julius Randle. Also, Tom Thibodeau has already gone on record saying he is comfortable playing Julius Randle at center for 15 minutes per game.
This theoretically leaves 33 minutes between Jericho Sims, Precious Achiuwaand maybe a recruit Ariel Hukporti. The Knicks also added Morris with the idea that he can play stretch 4 or stretch 5 against smaller lineups at this point in his career.
Something else to note: outside of Philadelphia Joel EmbiidWhat back-to-the-basket threat will the Knicks face in the Eastern Conference? This does not mean that Robinson and the deceased Isaiah Hartenstein intended for the Knicks. They both played a vital role in New York’s success, particularly on the offensive glass. The Knicks will have to find a way to make up for the loss of second-chance points that will come with Robinson’s (and Hartenstein’s) absence.
But it’s not like they have to face Alonzo Mourning And Shaquille O’Neal three to four times this season.
So you can see how comfortable the Knicks would feel entering the season with the current roster.
But make no mistake: This team is in a championship window. THE Mikal Bridges the business opened the window. So there has to be a sense of urgency to win games. And by playing small-ball lineups, you’re asking Thibodeau to move away from a formula that worked well for much of his tenure with the Knicks: a rotation that features two traditional centers.
So my guess is that New York is aggressive on the trade market after December 15 (when most 2024 free agent signees can be traded) or before December 15 if it becomes clear that the current roster is not does not work.
Other teams know the Knicks will be looking for a center. They will therefore not work from a position of strength.
But there should be several functional centers available in the commercial market.
We noted previously that the Knicks were interested in Nick Richards, Goga Bitadze, Walker Kessler, Jonas Valanciunas And André Drummond at the start of the 2024 offseason.
Depending on how their respective teams progress, some of these veteran centers may be available via trade.
It’s hard to imagine a scenario in which Drummond is traded from Philadelphia, as the Sixers need a quality replacement for Embiid.
The Magic invested significantly in Bitadze. So it seems like a stretch that they would be willing to move him this season.
Richards can now be moved and Charlotte appears to be starting from scratch. So it’s not a big step to suggest that Charlotte might be willing to move Richards during the season.
Kessler is under contract. The Knicks were among a group of teams to check in with Utah on Kessler during the offseason. Utah wanted multiple first-round picks at the time. Will the Jazz make Kessler available before the deadline? Will a team meet the asking price? Depending on where the Knicks and Jazz stand in mid-December, it may be wise to restart discussions about Kessler.
I will always put the Minnesota one Cities of Karl-Anthony on a list of potential Knicks centers. But trades of this magnitude rarely happen during the season. And once again, New York should move at least one of Randle, Hart or DiVincenzo to make an exchange of this magnitude.
I would put Robert Williams III on this list because Portland has two starting caliber centers (Williams and DeAndre Ayton) and drafted a big man Donovan Clingan at No. 7 in the 2024 NBA Draft. Ime Udoka was a big fan of Williams since their time together in Boston. With Alperen Sengun, Steven Adams And Jock Landale On the roster, there is no room for Williams in Houston. But maybe the Rockets change their roster, creating room for Williams? Regardless of what happens in Houston, Williams, 26, should have plenty of suitors if Portland decides to make a move on him.
I would add Ayton to the list because the Knicks have been interested in him – and done some substantive work on him – in the past. Ayton averaged 22.7 points and 12.5 rebounds (3.6 offensive) in 18 games played after the All-Star break last season. He shot 58 percent from the field during that stretch and has experience in the playoffs and NBA Finals.
(*I’m not saying here that the Knicks talked to the Blazers about Ayton. So please don’t broadly suggest that they did. Thanks.)
Teams can make their players available via trade if they struggle during the season. I think Chicago Nikola Vucevic and that of Toronto Jakob Poeltl are two names to watch in this scenario. I’m sure there will be more. Detroit is worth watching. The team is under new leadership as president Trajan Langdon. I’d bet the total cost of two courtside seats at MSG that the Knicks at least touched base with Detroit. Isaiah Stewart And Jalen Duren.
FAST HITTERS
Does this mean they can get both Marcus Morris and Shamet a roster spot since there is like an injury spot? – @AsaGates3
There is no additional roster spot as a result of Robinson’s updated timeline. The Knicks have 14 players on traditional NBA contracts and have room for another traditional NBA contract. So they can keep Morris OR Shamet on traditional NBA deals. But they can’t keep both unless they give up a player currently on the books to a traditional deal.
I hate to embarrass you, but if you had to guess who the starting center would be next season, who would it be? Sims or Achiuwa? We know that Thibs likes continuity and that Sims is the “closest” in playstyle to what Mitch proposed. – @insidethearc__
My first guess is that Sims starts and Achiuwa supports him. This answer assumes Randle is not ready to start the season. We should receive an update from Thibodeau next week on Randle’s status. For what it’s worth, I I did not take this response from Thibodeau as a guarantee that Randle will be on the field when camp begins. If he’s on the field to start camp, he’ll be significantly ahead of the traditional rehab schedule.
Mitchell Robinson missing 2 months will have a huge impact on winning. I’ve been consistent all summer that I don’t think the Knicks are in the Top 3 in the East. Mitch is too unreliable. God help the Knicks if OG misses games too. – @The__Cooler
I agree with Cooler on the extent of Robinson’s injury. I think it’s a big problem. And it’s fair to say that Robinson is unreliable due to his injury history. But let’s not forget how he got hurt. It was during an Embiid withdrawal in the Knicks-Sixers series. And let’s not forget that Robinson returned to the field early at the end of the regular season because he wanted to be there when it mattered. This is just my opinion, but I think this context should be included in any analysis of Robinson.
