How Knicks can upgrade bench after trade deadline

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The New York Knicks were pretty quiet at the 2024 trade deadline. The Knicks made just one trade, adding Delon Wright from the Milwaukee Bucks. New York was definitely outdone by trades like the one completed by their Eastern Conference rival Cleveland Cavaliers. And their recent blowout loss to the Boston Celtics demonstrated some holes that still exist on their roster.

Fortunately, there are a few paths forward for the Knicks to improve following the deadline. Let’s explore exactly what can be done.

Mitchell Robinson returns to pre-injury form

Mitchell Robinson returning represents a major addition as he has been out all season rehabbing an ankle injury. When healthy, Robinson is among the best defensive centers in the league. So, he really will be a major upgrade. Even coach Tom Thibodeau recently alluded to the idea that Robinson’s return was viewed by management as an addition.

And New York’s need in the middle sure is evident. Yes, they need a reliable backup. But they are also lacking a major rim protector on the whole. There is only one player on the roster (Karl-Anthony Towns) who is seven-feet tall and averages more than eight minutes per game. That means there there is only one shot blocker who plays regularly, allowing teams to shoot a higher percentage at the rim against New York.

Granted, the Knicks are only allowing opponents to make 62.2% of shot attempts closer than five feet from the basket, which is good for ninth in the league according to NBA Stats. But incorporating a true-to-form shot blocker (not to mention an offensive rebounding power house) is almost always a net positive. And introducing front court depth has been a need all season.

TJ Warren could help spell Knicks’ wings

TJ Warren is having a great season in the G-League. He is averaging 25.3 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game through 15 games with the Westchester Knicks. He even recently set the Knicks’ G-League record for points in a game, scoring 47 in a win over the Cleveland Charge.

Warren, the 14th overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft, played nine seasons in the NBA with four different teams.

It’s puzzling that he’s been in the G-League all season, as he averaged 9.5 points per game with the Brooklyn Nets as recently as two seasons ago. And while Warren’s career averages run the gamut, he was a bonafide bucket for a good portion of his career. Warren averaged 19.6, 18.0, and 19.8 points per game from 2017-18 through 2019-20, which isn’t that long ago.

Still, Warren is more valuable for the depth he can provide than the points he can score. He brings a strong defensive spark, as well as versatility to guard multiple positions. He is six-foot-eight with a six-foot-nine wingspan, making him more than qualified to guard twos, threes, and (some) fours.

And the Knicks obviously need additional wing depth. OG Anunoby has missed the past three games with a toe injury. And while he is eyeing a post-All-Star break return, he has been injury prone for much of his career. Further, Josh Hart and Mikal Bridges are third and first, respectively, in minutes per game. So, incorporating someone who can alleviate some of that strain would be a luxury the team would probably prefer.

Scour the buyout market for a bargain

The first two points are foregone conclusions. Robinson and Warren will both inevitably play for the Knicks in 2024-25. The buyout market is less of a certainty. But an impact player or two will inevitably make it there.

There is a major caveat for the Knicks, though. Because their team salary projects to exceed the first apron, they cannot add a player whose salary was more than $12.82 million in 2024-25 via the buyout market. That is restrictive in that most impactful players were making (far) more than that.

Still, there will be options to consider. Kelly Olynyk was scheduled to make $12.02, so he would fit if he is bought out by the New Orleans Pelicans following his trade from the Toronto Raptors. However, Olynyk has dealt with injuries this season, and his history with the Boston Celtics and Miami Heat mean those two destinations are probably more likely landing spots.

Seth Curry and Taj Gibson are other players to keep an eye on for New York.

Ultimately, the Knicks should continue working to address their lack of depth. The idea of a major mid-season trade was always a pipe dream considering how active New York was last offseason. But that doesn’t mean the Knicks can’t push themselves forward by taking baby steps in fleshing out their roster. And that’s exactly what they’ll try to do.

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