This year’s New York Knicks season has been a trainwreck. Right now the Knicks are sitting at 8-24, the second-worst record in the league. Many amongst the organization believed this team had enough talent to compete in the weak eastern conference this year, but those expectations have not been met. Players on the team are upset with the team underperforming. Per SNY’s Ian Begley on Friday, “a few” players on the team have expressed their desire to be traded.
With the roster being filled with veterans on short term contracts it is more than likely the New York Knicks will move some pieces for future assets. There are already rumors swirling around the organization that there will clean house in the front office and bring in new people. The team has already brought in former Cavaliers head coach David Blatt as a basketball operations consultant. He is said to be scouting European talent for the team. Let’s not forget that David Fizdale, who was a player’s favorite, was just fired on December 6th. Now Mike Miller is sitting in as an interim coach for this season with no guarantee he will be back next year. It’s not yet confirmed that players have made a formal request to be traded but with how this season has turned out thus far with no clear plan for the future it would be no surprise to anyone that players want out of New York.
Names like Dennis Smith Jr. and Marcus Morris are names to be looking out for before the February 6th trade deadline. Rival teams are confident that Dennis Smith Jr. will no longer be in New York past this season. Smith Jr. minutes have been going down drastically since his arrival to New York last year and it seems like there won’t be any change coming anytime soon. His talents can be used elsewhere at a place that is willing to take the time to develop him into the star we all thought he would become when he was drafted. Marcu Morris has turned out to be a surprise to many this year, averaging 18.6 ppg and shooting a career-high 46.1% from the 3 point line. Contenders would be looking for veterans like Morris to add before the deadline for a playoff push. According to reports two names who Knicks made clear are untouchable are RJ Barrett and Mitchell Robinson.
There is a lot of promising talent on the roster this year but with no sense of direction in the front office, it is almost impossible for the team to perform well on the court with a front office who are worrying about if their jobs are at stake. Based on the recent moves Knicks have been making and certain reports coming out, it is safe to say that there will be yet another shakeup in the organization. Current general manager Scott Perry is believed to be the only name the Knicks will keep in the front office. Some are speculating the Knicks are once again making moves to lure one particular superstar free agent in a few years, Giannis Antetokounmpo. All we can do is sit back and see how things unravel in New York.