The New York Knicks are a very good team at a 14-8 start, and are expected to compete among the best of the Eastern Conference to potentially reach the league’s biggest stage. They are also getting healthier, as Precious Achiuwa made his return on Thursday and Mitchell Robinson is on his way back.
Mock trade suggests the Knicks add Jordan Clarkson and Walker Kessler
However, the team is still fairly incomplete, and another injury to a player could break down the rotation. Therefore, they will likely be in the market to add at least one bench piece to help fortify their rotation. Jed Katz of Sports Illustrated suggested a mock trade in which the Knicks land two key Utah Jazz players in exchange for Robinson.
Knicks get: Jordan Clarkson, Walker Kessler
Jazz get: Mitchell Robinson, Jericho Sims, Tyler Kolek, 2025 first-round pick (via WAS), 2025 second-round pick (via DET)
Clarkson would give the Knicks a much-needed scorer off the bench
This trade would essentially swap Robinson with Kessler and add a solid bench scorer in Clarkson for a pair of draft picks. The Knicks rank dead last in bench points per game with just 20.8.
Miles McBride and Cameron Payne have had to carry the bulk of the scoring load off the Knicks’ bench, so adding Clarkson to the mix would provide them with another aggressive scorer that provides more depth. Clarkson won the league’s Sixth Man of The Year Award in 2021 after he averaged 18.4 points and shot 34.7% from three off the bench for the Jazz.
This season has been a bit of a down year for him, as he is averaging 15 points per game on poor efficiency, shooting just 39.1% from the field and 27.5% from three. However, a change of scenery to a more competitive team could help him improve his play, and he could quickly become an important bench piece for New York.
Kessler provides a huge need but at a big cost
Kessler also provides a quality need, as though he and Robinson are similar in terms of rim protection quality, Kessler is more durable than Robinson, which could make pursuing him a better option. The Knicks have long been interested in Kessler, who is second in the NBA in blocks per game this season with 2.9.
However, the asking price for Kessler has been rather steep, which has made teams reluctant to trade for him despite the elite defensive talent he possesses. Packaging him in a deal that adds Clarkson could help give the Knicks more value out of trading away Robinson and the additional draft capital, and it could also make the Knicks’ roster one of the deepest in the league.
As the season continues, trade season will commence, and the Knicks are likely to be in the mix for at least one of these high-impact players from the Jazz.
