NY Knicks, Leon Rose (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
We in there baby! The NY Knicks are headed for the playoffs!
This is being written shortly after the overtime win over the Charlotte Hornets, and what a game that was.
You could taste the sense of urgency the entire Knicks roster felt…they were not losing that game.
The Knicks are currently tied for the 4th seed with the Atlanta Hawks with one game left to play against the Boston Celtics.
(Editor’s note: The Knicks obviously won both games and have since clinched said 4th seed…Let’s Go Knicks!)
After being a bottom dweller for years on years, with ESPN projecting the Knicks to again be one of the worst teams in the league before the season began, we as fans now have a player in Julius Randle who will surely garner MVP votes and is currently the frontrunner for the Most Improved Player award.
What Small Forwards would you like to see the NY Knicks trade for?
We also have a legitimate 6th Man of the Year candidate in Derrick Rose as well as a coach in Tom Thibodeau who could very realistically win Coach of the Year honors.
It’s exciting to be a Knicks fan again.
What’s incredible about this year’s roster is that there’s just so much room for improvement.
Seeing how good the team is today, the sky seems to be the limit for next year’s squad.
I recently wrote about 3 wings the Knicks could possibly sign in the offseason to help improve the starting lineup, so in this piece, I wanted to explore some more players they could potentially bring in via trade.
There’s a handful of guys that could potentially be on the market soon that would fit incredibly well with our Knickerbockers.
Here are 3 small forwards I could see the Knicks trading for this offseason.
NY Knicks</a> are headed for the playoffs!</p>
<p>This is being written shortly after the overtime win over the Charlotte Hornets, and what a game that was.</p>
<p>You could taste the sense of urgency the entire Knicks roster felt…they were not losing that game.</p>
<p>The Knicks are currently tied for the 4th seed with the Atlanta Hawks with one game left to play against the Boston Celtics.</p>
<p><em>(Editor’s note: The Knicks obviously won both games and have since clinched said 4th seed…Let’s Go Knicks!)</em></p>
<p>After being a bottom dweller for years on years, with <a href=https://dailyknicks.com/2021/05/18/ny-knicks-3-small-forwards-ny-can-trade-for-this-offseason/"https://www.espn.com/basketball/story/_/id/30427736/2020-21-nba-preview-wins-standings-projected-all-30-nba-teams" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ESPN projecting the Knicks</a> to again be one of the worst teams in the league before the season began, we as fans now have a player in Julius Randle who will surely garner MVP votes and is currently <a href=https://dailyknicks.com/2021/05/18/ny-knicks-3-small-forwards-ny-can-trade-for-this-offseason/"https://dailyknicks.com/2021/03/11/knicks-julius-randle-most-improved-player/">the frontrunner for the Most Improved Player award</a>.</p>
<h2>What Small Forwards would you like to see the NY Knicks trade for?</h2>
<p>We also have a legitimate 6th Man of the Year candidate in Derrick Rose as well as a coach in Tom Thibodeau who could very realistically win Coach of the Year honors.</p>
<p>It’s exciting to be a Knicks fan again.</p>
<p>What’s incredible about this year’s roster is that there’s just so much room for improvement.</p>
<p>Seeing how good the team is today, the sky seems to be the limit for next year’s squad.</p>
<p>I recently <a href=https://dailyknicks.com/2021/05/18/ny-knicks-3-small-forwards-ny-can-trade-for-this-offseason/"https://dailyknicks.com/2021/04/26/ny-knicks-3-wings-ny-can-sign-in-offseason-that-make-the-team-better/">wrote about 3 wings the Knicks could possibly sign</a> in the offseason to help improve the starting lineup, so in this piece, I wanted to explore some more players they could potentially bring in via trade.</p>
<p>There’s a handful of guys that could potentially be on the market soon that would fit incredibly well with our Knickerbockers.</p>
<p>Here are 3 small forwards I could see the Knicks trading for this offseason.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #007BC1" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://dailyknicks.com/2021/05/18/ny-knicks-3-small-forwards-ny-can-trade-for-this-offseason/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> TJ Warren </a>
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<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-118465" src=https://dailyknicks.com/2021/05/18/ny-knicks-3-small-forwards-ny-can-trade-for-this-offseason/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2133,w_3200/https%3A%2F%2Fdailyknicks.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2017%2F07%2F1228189097.jpeg" alt="NY Knicks" width="3200" height="2133" srcset="https://dailyknicks.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1228189097.jpeg 3200w, https://dailyknicks.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1228189097-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><p class="wp-caption-text">NY Knicks (Photo by Ashley Landis-Pool/Getty Images)</p>
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<h2>NY Knicks Small Forward Target #1 – TJ Warren</h2>
<p>Daily Knicks writers have suggested that New York target several players on the Pacers via trade such as Malcolm Brogdon, Doug McDermott, and Myles Turner.</p>
<p>The reason being is that Indiana is at a bit of a crossroads in that they’re no longer on the up and up as they once were now that Victor Oladipo is no longer in town.</p>
<p>Obviously, they were on a downward trend before Vic’s departure but that story is for another day.</p>
<p>The front office has a lot of decisions to make in this upcoming offseason.</p>
<p>It seems that new head coach Nate Bjorkgren will be looking for a new job elsewhere now that the season is over.</p>
<p>Coaching issues aside, the team as a whole has been trending in the wrong direction since last year.</p>
<p><a href=https://dailyknicks.com/2021/05/18/ny-knicks-3-small-forwards-ny-can-trade-for-this-offseason/"https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2942713-inside-the-turbulent-tenure-of-indiana-pacers-coach-nate-bjorkgren" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Via Bleacher Report’s Jake Fischer</a>, TJ Warren supposedly asked for a trade from Indiana once the news broke of Coach Bjorkgren coming aboard but then opted to get an elective, season-ending foot surgery to avoid playing for him.</p>
<p>Now, seeing how the head coach is likely on his way out, it may just convince TJ to stick around.</p>
<p>But the Pacers may have other plans.</p>
<p>Warren is set to make around $13 million for the upcoming 2021-22 season and then becomes a restricted free agent.</p>
<p>If the Pacers are looking to rebuild, they may opt to move the older guys on the roster for younger assets.</p>
<p>I do like the idea of a small-ball lineup with RJ Barrett at the 3, TJ Warren at the 4, and Julius Randle at the 5.</p>
<p>That would be exciting to watch.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #007BC1" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://dailyknicks.com/2021/05/18/ny-knicks-3-small-forwards-ny-can-trade-for-this-offseason/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Jerami Grant </a>
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<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-115731" src=https://dailyknicks.com/2021/05/18/ny-knicks-3-small-forwards-ny-can-trade-for-this-offseason/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2133,w_3200/https%3A%2F%2Fdailyknicks.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2017%2F07%2F1304383332.jpeg" alt="NY Knicks" width="3200" height="2133" srcset="https://dailyknicks.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1304383332.jpeg 3200w, https://dailyknicks.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1304383332-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><p class="wp-caption-text">Jerami Grant, NY Knicks (Photo by Nic Antaya/Getty Images)</p>
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<h2>NY Knicks Small Forward Target #2 – Jerami Grant</h2>
<p>Jerami Grant is the least likely player on this list to be traded but there’s surely a chance the Pistons can decide soon that they need to blow it all up and just go young from top to bottom.</p>
<p>I doubt Grant was acquired to be a building block for a team that just traded Derrick Rose for peanuts and bought Blake Griffin’s contract out.</p>
<p>In all likelihood, he was signed to eventually be traded for assets.</p>
<p>Grant, whom <a href=https://dailyknicks.com/2021/05/18/ny-knicks-3-small-forwards-ny-can-trade-for-this-offseason/"https://dailyknicks.com/2021/02/28/should-knicks-trade-for-jerami-grant/">I’ve written about trading for earlier</a> this season, is having himself one heck of a season.</p>
<p>Julius Randle likely has Most Improved Player locked down, but Grant will surely garner some votes.</p>
<p>Grant finished the season off with 22 points, 3 assists, 5 rebounds, a block, and a steal per game.</p>
<p>He had a down season shooting it from deep but still managed to cap off the season shooting about league average at 35%.</p>
<p>Grant’s versatility on both offense and defense make him a very intriguing target for the Knicks.</p>
<p>His cost via trade might be pretty high but I think he would be worth it.</p>
<p>A player that can guard anyone on the floor aside from the fastest of guards is a useful tool to have.</p>
<p>Similar to TJ Warren, Grant can play either the 3 or the 4, but he’s also played some small-ball 5 himself in the past.</p>
<p>Versatile athletes who can shoot…you can’t have enough of those on your team.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #007BC1" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://dailyknicks.com/2021/05/18/ny-knicks-3-small-forwards-ny-can-trade-for-this-offseason/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Terrence Ross </a>
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<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-118466" src=https://dailyknicks.com/2021/05/18/ny-knicks-3-small-forwards-ny-can-trade-for-this-offseason/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2133,w_3200/https%3A%2F%2Fdailyknicks.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2017%2F07%2F1314242502.jpeg" alt="NY Knicks" width="3200" height="2133" srcset="https://dailyknicks.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1314242502.jpeg 3200w, https://dailyknicks.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1314242502-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><p class="wp-caption-text">NY Knicks (Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images)</p>
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<h2>NY Knicks Small Forward Target #3 – Terrence Ross</h2>
<p>Yet another guard/forward I’ve targeted via trade before this year’s deadline, Terrence Ross.</p>
<p>Ross should certainly cost the least in a trade as the Magic just had a massive fire sale and are looking to rebuild.</p>
<p>He would probably work best in a reserve role off of the bench so if the Knicks end up not bringing Alec Burks back after this season, Ross might be a solid replacement.</p>
<p>He could come off the bench or spot start at the 2 or the 3 spot and would provide a spark on offense.</p>
<p>A bit of a streaky scorer but when he does score, he scores in bunches. Coming off of arguably his best season yet, averaging 15.6 points off of the bench.</p>
<p>Ross is also on a relatively team-friendly deal in which he’s set to make $12.5 million next year and just $11.5 million the year after.</p>
<p>I’d imagine Alec Burks is going to get a contract somewhere in that realm after this season is up and if the Knicks decide to not extend that kind of offer and he walks, Ross would be a nice consolation prize.</p>
<p>I was surprised the Knicks didn’t kick the tires on a Ross trade prior to this year’s deadline but Leon Rose is the mastermind and there’s a reason why he’s in the position that he’s in today and I’m not.</p>
<div class="fs-shortcode" data-type="StoryLink" data-theme="dark" data-text="3 Mitchell Robinson trades to consider this offseason" data-url="https://dailyknicks.com/2021/05/04/ny-knicks-3-mitchell-robinson-offseason-trades-for-ny-to-consider/" data-call-to-action="Next"> <div class="story-link-next"> <a class="story-link-next-btn" style="background: #007BC1" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="story-link-next-shortcode" href=https://dailyknicks.com/2021/05/18/ny-knicks-3-small-forwards-ny-can-trade-for-this-offseason/"https://dailyknicks.com/2021/05/04/ny-knicks-3-mitchell-robinson-offseason-trades-for-ny-to-consider/"> <span class="call_to_action">Next:</span> 3 Mitchell Robinson trades to consider this offseason </a> </div>
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