The New York Knicks are slated to enter the 2024-25 NBA season with their current rotation at center intact. However, the highly-scrutinized depth chart, featuring Mitchell Robinson, Precious Achiuwa, and Jericho Sims, could be amended between now and their season opener, or next season’s trade deadline.
Knicks: Report suggests Blazers C DeAndre Ayton could land on the trade block in 2024-25
Stefan Bondy of the New York Post reported that Portland Trail Blazers center Deandre Ayton may be made expendable in the near future given the circumstances surrounding his play and situation in Rip City, making the Knicks a candidate to make a play for Arizona product. Bondy said this in part (h/t Sportsnaut’s Jason Burgos):
“The former No. 1 overall pick has been largely underwhelming given the hype (he was drafted before Luka Doncic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander), but there are few centers with the physical capabilities of Ayton and, most important to this exercise, he plays for a bad team with too many centers,” Bondy wrote.
“The Blazers are bound to make moves if they struggle again.”
The Knicks would thrive with Ayton as their featured center for many reasons
Making a push for Ayton would make sense on a multitude of levels. Primarily, the Knicks are led by last season’s MVP candidate Jalen Brunson. The 2024 All-Star loves to utilize the pick-and-roll to generate his offense.
Ayton would harmoniously pair with the Villanova product in that regard. Strictly from an eye test, there are few centers in the league that are more adroit at finishing when rolling to the basket than Ayton, who has every shot in his bag from a floater from 10 feet, to a fundamentally sound hook shot, the ability to pick-and-pop from 15-18 feet out, and conversely, finish with authority at the rim.
The Arizona product does struggle as a shooter. He owns a paltry 24.4 percent clip from distance for his career, which comes as a surprise given his ability to stretch the floor in college. But at only 26 years of age, he has yet to hit his prime and could still develop that part of his game as he matures as a finished product in the Association.
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The Knicks would also remain an elite rebounding team with the 11.1 rebounds he collected in 2023-24, which would have ranked No. 7 among all players had he qualified. Though he does not send back many shots at only 0.8 blocks per contest from a year ago, he’s still a competent rim protector whose energy and skill on the defensive end have a solid foundation for Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau to help him build upon.
Ayton is now the second Blazers big to have his name tied to the Knicks after Robert Williams III. While the latter may be a better fit in New York due to his lack of a need for offensive touches on a Knicks roster with several potent scorers and his otherworldly defense, Ayton would give the Knicks a fringe All-Star-caliber center that can score quickly and efficiently and do almost everything the Knicks would need from their featured big to wage a title run, all while serving as an insurance No. 2 option in the event that Knicks All-Star Julius Randle or Mikal Bridges goes down with an injury next season.
What it would take for the Knicks to acquire Ayton
Given the $34 million and $35.5M he is set to make in each of his next two respective campaigns with the Blazers, Randle and his $28.9 million and $30.9M salaries in the same span would likely have to be the centerpiece in a deal for Ayton.
Either Randle or a package including current Knicks starting center Robinson and breakout shooting guard Donte DiVincenzo would suffice from a monetary standpoint.
If the latter would not entice Portland’s front office, the Knicks could move off of Randle — whose name has been in trade rumors all offseason long, in hopes that this summer’s marquee acquisition Mikal Bridges can be the 26.1 PPG he was with the Brooklyn Nets in 2022-23 for them next time out and that Ayton can blossom into a 20 and 10 performer.
