Knicks predicted to trade second-best player for 6’10” center, elite role players

The New York Knicks are in an interesting position. While they have had great success the last two seasons, their core has flamed out and been unable to make deep playoff runs. The Knicks’ front office made the difficult decision to get rid of Tom Thibodeau. Now they need to decide if their current roster has enough to get them to the top of the extremely vulnerable Eastern Conference hierarchy. 

While earlier in the offseason, the majority of Knicks trade rumors were centered around Karl-Anthony Towns, this Knicks trade idea gets rid of a different key starter in order to add size and depth. 

The hypothetical Knicks trade looks like this:

Miami Heat receive: OG Anunoby

Knicks receive: Daniel Gafford, PJ Washington, and Jaime Jaquez Jr. 

Dallas Mavericks receive: Andrew Wiggins and a first-round pick from Miami

This is a bold trade for the Knicks. OG Anunoby may be their second most important player behind Jalen Brunson. He is their best defender and a key offensive cog as well. Still, flipping him into three solid players could be the type of move that gives the Knicks the depth they so desperately need. 

Gafford would slide into the starting center role perfectly. This would move Towns to the power forward position, which is his more natural position. Adding Washington and Jaquez Jr. would also strengthen the weak Knicks' bench. 

Getting two guys like that to fill out their bench would transform the Knicks’ group of reserves from one of the worst in the league to one of the better ones in the East. 

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Still, it probably isn’t worth losing OG. This Knicks trade breaks up a core that has proven itself as just a couple of minor tweaks away from making the NBA Finals. Taking out a key part of that core is a risk the Knicks shouldn’t take quite yet. 

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