Knicks Takeaways from 2022 NBA Trade Deadline
Heading up to the 2022 NBA trade deadline, the New York Knicks seemed like they could buy or sell.
In the end, they did nothing, brokering only a mid-January swap that sent out a first-round pick and brought in Cam Reddish, who has some promise but apparently not enough polish for head coach Tom Thibodeau's liking.
It feels like the perfect encapsulation of their campaign. When offered an opportunity to gain ground or threatened with bottoming out, they hovered between both (though come much closer to the latter than the former).
This isn't the sequel Knicks fans had hoped to see after last season's playoff breakthrough, but here they are.
What does a smoke-filled, fire-free deadline tell us about this team? Maybe more than you would think.
The Ceiling Has Dropped
Ideally, last season's breakout would have been the springboard to something better. Sadly, it seems that could be where this core crested.
There are ample opportunities for internal improvement, of course. There is no shortage of 25-and-under talent on this roster, and theoretically any of the up-and-comers could pop at any minute.
But these Knicks were built to follow the lead of Julius Randle and RJ Barrett, neither of whom has maintained his production from last season. They were also supposed to get major lifts from Evan Fournier and Kemba Walker, and that hasn't happened, either. When all else failed, defense was supposed to do the trick. That unit ranked fourth last season; it's down to 15th this term, per NBA.com.
New York needed help to maintain last season's success, let alone build on it. The front office knew it too, as the club "explored many options" ahead of the deadline, including CJ McCollum, Norm Powell, Harrison Barnes, Jalen Brunson, Terrence Ross and Myles Turner, per Marc Berman of the New York Post.
The Knicks needed reinforcements, but they never came. Regardless of where Knicks fans set this team's ceiling entering the season, it's time to lower it by multiple storeys.
Increased Pressure to Re-Sign Mitchell Robinson
Last offseason, the Knicks took a risk by picking up Mitchell Robinson's $1.8 million team option. While it kept him on a budget-friendly contract for this campaign, it also ticketed him for unrestricted free agency upon its completion. New York could get around that by getting him to put pen to paper on an extension before then, but it hasn't happened.
The Knicks took another risk with their bouncy big man at the deadline. Four teams, including the Chicago Bulls and Detroit Pistons, pursued him at the deadline, per Berman, but the day came and went without an exchange.
Avoiding the injury issues that have plagued him in the past, Robinson could be positioning himself for a substantial payday. He pairs tremendous length with explosive agility (particularly for a 7-footer), and even if his offensive range never reaches beyond the restricted area, he can fill an impact role as a rim-running interior anchor.
Each productive outing puts Robinson closer to cashing in, and the Knicks might feel extra pressure to be on the other end of that deal. While they could still recoup assets in a sign-and-trade, the risk of losing him for nothing is real.
All-In Option Might Be Available This Summer
If you thought a sleepy deadline might silence trade talk in Gotham, then you don't know the Knicks.
The deadline passed Feb. 10. Two days later, Berman inked a piece about how New York could be plotting an all-in pursuit of Damian Lillard this summer.
It's not entirely far-fetched. Maybe the Lillard part is—although the entire hoops world will be watching to see how the Portland Trail Blazers try to retool around their superstar—but the idea of an impact addition is very much within the realm of possible outcomes.
The Knicks aren't short on trade chips. Barrett has the age (21) and upside to anchor a blockbuster. Prospects like Obi Toppin, Immanuel Quickley, Quentin Grimes, Cam Reddish and Miles McBride can all help sweeten an offer. Ditto for New York's small stack of future draft picks, which includes all of its own, the Dallas Mavericks' 2023 first-round pick (top-10 protected) and a boatload of second-rounders.
In the moment, New York's quiet deadline felt like a missed opportunity, and time may prove it was exactly that. However, there's a chance this organization's patience could be rewarded in a major way.