The New York Knicks won’t have a pick in this upcoming draft, as they traded their own for Josh Hart back in February. The Dallas Mavericks also finished with the 10th worst record in the NBA, meaning that the top-10 protected pick New York owns will not convey this year.
Despite this, the Hart trade ended up being a massive success and the team still has 10 first-round selections over the next six drafts. With around three of those likely conveying next season, it’s difficult to imagine how all of those players will be able to fit in head coach Tom Thibodeau’s nine-man rotation.
Given their limited amount of cap space this offseason, it’s easy to see why many believe that a few trades are on the horizon for the Knicks. Acquiring stars to pair alongside Jalen Brunson after his excellent postseason run should be the ultimate goal, but there are also smaller deals to be made that can elevate New York’s roster as a whole.
Team President Leon Rose has a small margin for error, so he could end up targeting a few players that are already familiar with playing under the bright lights of Madison Square Garden.
3 former Knicks that should be trade targets for New York this offseason
3. Doug McDermott
Doug McDermott spent 55 games with the Knicks during the 2017-18 season, a year in which New York started off 17-14 but quickly came back down to earth. He was traded at the deadline, part of a three-team deal that resulted in Emmanuel Mudiay wearing the blue and orange.
He’s continued to remain productive as he’s entered his 30s, recently averaging 10.4 points and 2.2 rebounds per game off the bench for the San Antonio Spurs while shooting 41.3% from three.
In fact, McDermott has hit 41.8% of his shots from behind the arc since New York traded him while attempting just over four per game. This is even more impressive considering the high level of difficulty on his three-point attempts, often pulling up before he’s able to stop his momentum.
Among players who attempted at least 30 pull-up threes this season, Doug McDermott ranked fourth in the entire NBA with a 42.6% shooting mark. As for current Knicks players with 30+ pull-up threes attempted, only Jalen Brunson (38%) hit over 35% of his looks.
The Spurs will likely be attempting to build around projected first-overall pick Victor Wembanyama, which means 31-year-old McDermott doesn’t exactly fit their timeline. With one year and just over $13 million remaining on his current deal, it makes sense for San Antonio to explore trades involving him before he hits unrestricted free agency.
From the Knicks’ point of view, they wouldn’t need to give up much for a possible one-year rental despite McDermott still being a productive role player who projects as a perfect offensive fit next to Brunson.
It’s also worth noting that he shot 38.7% from three with New York, showing the ability not to be rattled by the pressure of playing in a large market.
