The New York Knicks are entering a rather interesting stage.
They aren't in trouble, per se, but with a wild swirl of recent events (read: Derek Fisher being fired), the Knicks seem bound to make headlines in the near future.
Enter Thursday's NBA trade deadline.
New York is always subject to succulent rumors, but only time will tell if the 'Bockers are willing to make a real deal. Phil Jackson definitely has players he's willing to give up --like Kyle O'Quinn and Jose Calderon--and he's continued to express his wish for the Knicks to reach the playoffs this season. And in order to do that, Gotham has to make a move. So who might they go after?
Jeff Teague
Teague has been coveted by the Knicks for a while now. New York needs a ballhandler who can score, and Teague could fit in rather nicely. The Atlanta Hawks seem content with keeping Dennis Schröder around as their starting point guard, and thus, appear willing to get rid of Jeff Teague. Teague is getting paid $16 million over the next two seasons, and will be a free agent after 2017. But, while the Knicks shouldn't give up too much for him, Teague would help immediately; he's averaging 15 points, 5.5 assists, and 2.7 rebounds per game. He isn't having an All-Star like season from last year, but Teague would make a significant improvement over the Knicks' current guards.
Brandon Jennings
Speaking of guards, HBO's Bill Simmons said in a podcast on Monday that "[the Knicks] have corpses as point guards." The thing is, he's probably right. Jose Calderon is 34 years old, and he's also the only true point guard on the roster. So hopefully, New York's front office will try and go after a more desirable pointgGuard, and their second choice after Teague appears to be Detroit's Brandon Jennings.
Jennings is in a rough spot with the Pistons; he's playing 18 minutes off the bench and scoring way below his usual rate. Detroit is clearly interested in swapping him for extra help at other positions, but it's unclear if a deal with the Knicks is the route they want to take. New York may not have the stew of talent that could push the Pistons further up the East's standings, and Stan Van Gundy has been eager to bring his team back to the postseason. In his podcast, Bill Simmons suggested Calderon and Kevin Seraphin for Jennings and Jodie Meeks, which would save the Pistons about $4 million. However, the Knicks might need to mix in more to sweeten the deal.
Blake Griffin
It's a pretty far reach, but if the Knicks could make a swap for Griffin, it would be enormous. However, the only deal for Blake would probably have to include Carmelo Anthony, who has dismissed recent trade rumors saying "I'm not going anywhere." Melo has a no-trade clause anyway, so nothing's happening unless he wants to move elsewhere. While Anthony has expressed a desire to play alongside Chris Paul before, it seems unlikely that he'd be willing to move to L.A. with all the soundbites he's been feeding reporters lately. Anyway, the Knicks don't have the pieces necessary to haul Blake across the country without adding in Melo. So, dream on... at least for now.
Kenneth Faried
Two years ago, the Knicks tried desperately to trade Iman Shumpert to the Denver Nuggets for Faried. Shump is gone now, though, and it might take a more impressive offer to haul in the fifth-year power forward from Morehead State. Faried could be a huge contributor for New York. He could jump off the bench and play minutes at the 4 with Kristaps Porzingis, and he would add energy and depth to the Knicks' depleted and under-achieving bench. While he wouldn't solve their point guard problem, Faried would add a lot to the 'Bockers, and his youth and hustle is something Phil Jackson could build upon in the very near future.
Ricky Rubio
Another point guard, Rubio remains a mystery in Minnesota. He hasn't shown an ability to stay healthy yet, but when he's on the court, Rubio can make things happen. But even though Ricky averages 8.6 assists per game, he still struggles to shoot the ball, and he hasn't shown any improvement during his career. This creates a dilemma for the Knicks, who are inclined by Jackson to run the triangle. Rubio's inability to shoot threes is problematic, but if he's paired with big men like Porzingis who can stretch the floor, his solid rim-attacking could create more threes, better ball movement, and sharper chances for the Knicks. Rubio isn't as polished as Teague, but he's not a historical ballhawk like Jennings. And unlike those two, the Minnesota Timberwolves could be very willing to send him away without a crazy return from New York.