As you read this, the Knicks are better than they were yesterday, last week, or this time last month. That’s the general manager’s decision at the trade deadline, and that’s what Leon Rose made as the clock ticked down to 3 p.m. Thursday.
But there’s more to it than that, as Rose also traded several second-round picks and three underused players to bring back Tom Thibodeau favorite Alec Burks, who has fallen out of favor recently. It’s not just a matter of replacing Quentin Grimes. To bring Bojan Bogdanovich and his bottomless shooting range to the Garden. Rose has made the Knicks a bolder threat this season (when healthy) without sacrificing the potential for a big swing next summer. He made this trade without giving up any of his stockpiled first-round picks and acquired two expiring contracts.
The Knicks currently have a 10-man rotation, and if they choose to go that deep, it’s better than what they’ve had in recent years – of course all of these players If available. But that’s also the problem Rose sought to solve Thursday. The Knicks’ incredible run from New Year’s Day to Thursday’s 122-108 loss to the Mavericks at Madison Square Garden has them thinking about themselves in a different light for the rest of the year. . They’re even with the Bucks. They’re right behind the Cavs. The journey from competing for the 6th seed to dreaming of the 2nd seed was remarkable.
And this deadline-day bonanza not only helps the Knicks come spring with all the missing pieces likely back, but also helps the Knicks learn the day they learned at this time of the year, with Julius Randle still weeks away from his return. would be of help. The day Jalen Brunson reported for work in plain clothes, OG Anunoby’s return will be at least a month away. Brunson’s absence is expected to be short-lived, but it’s still an eyesore for the Knicks to see him on the bench instead of on the floor.
And the hard truth about daily life during a long NBA season is this: As quickly as the Knicks have managed to go 16-4 since New Year’s Day and redefine the terms of this season’s contracts, they’ve reversed the odds. It is possible to move in that direction. . This four-game block against the Knicks before the All-Star break would be difficult enough, but that was before the Knicks went to work Thursday night against Dallas, with only eight players available. .
Before hitting the pause button, the Knicks will host a game against Indiana on Saturday night before embarking on a two-game road trip to Houston and Orlando. This will be an initial period of integration and adjustment for the new players. They try to survive without losing their hard-earned rankings.
“We have more than enough,” Thibodeau said 90 minutes before the game started. It’s his standard answer to the day-to-day hassles of the season. But he would also be happy to see reinforcements arrive to keep the Knicks’ heads above water in the short term. And he will be happy in his heart to think about what his team will look like now at full strength.
Guards Brunson and Donte DiVincenzo. Mitchell Robinson returned to center. Forwards Randle and Anunoby.
And off the bench: Isaiah Hartenstein, Josh Hart, Deuce McBride, Burks, Bogdanovic.
Thibodeau has employed a nine-man rotation since early last year, when Evan Fournier was in the doghouse and Derrick Rose started showing signs of weakness. He kept it up this year. But now they have a 10-man lineup that can play against just about anyone in the East except Boston. He would also like to try out for the Celtics, if everyone is available.
A lot has to happen before then. A lot of players have to get healthy and a lot of things have to go right. But the Knicks are better in this moment than they were yesterday, last week or last month. That’s a hell of a place to start, but as 3 p.m. loomed Thursday, Leon Rose made it happen.
