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NY Post
New York Post
6 Jul 2023


NextImg:The Knicks can’t be done with their offseason

What's happening on and off the Garden court

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Sorry, but this can’t be it for the Knicks.

Leon Rose appears to have executed the preliminary plan for this summer, jettisoning Obi Toppin after his playoff argument with Tom Thibodeau and filling a rotation need by reuniting free-agent gunner Donte DiVincenzo with his former Villanova teammates Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart.

That’s all perfectly fine. Toppin clearly wasn’t going to get a chance here as long as two-time All-NBA forward Julius Randle is blocking his path to playing time.

But this still is not a legitimate title contender, especially if Damian Lillard goes to the Heat after they eliminated the Knicks in the second round and made it all the way to the NBA Finals.

The Knicks still are sitting on a pile of assets, with 10 first-round picks over the next seven years, a few attractive young players and the $18.9 million expiring contract of Evan Fournier to help make the money work.

They have more than two months before training camp to pull off a significant trade, and they don’t need to be in a heavy rush less than a week into free agency.

With the Raptors in flux and the Knicks in need of wing help, OG Anunoby is said to be on the Knicks’ radar this summer.
Getty Images

Remember, the Donovan Mitchell sweepstakes lingered throughout the summer one year ago, and it took until September before the All-Star guard was moved to the Cavaliers instead of the Knicks.

They don’t appear to be in on either Lillard or James Harden, and that’s OK, but the availability of those two All-Star guards figure to decrease the potential suitors for the other big names that could be moved this summer.

That list includes the likes of Paul George, Zach LaVine, Karl-Anthony Towns or OG Anunoby, all of whom have been linked to the Knicks at various points in the last year (on Tuesday, Canadian outlet Sportsnet reported Anunoby “remains on the watch list for several teams, the New York Knicks especially”).

Whether or not the club can acquire one of those potential targets, their path toward winning the conference is anything but clear.

The Bucks clearly remain among the top teams in the East despite their first-round playoff loss to the Heat, and also have made key moves this offseason — retaining Khris Middleton and Brook Lopez and adding Malik Beasley — and the Celtics have traded for Kristaps Porzingis, though they had to sacrifice former Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart to do it.

Paul George #13 of the Los Angeles Clippers dribbles against Anfernee Simons #1 of the Portland Trail Blazers during the second quarter at the Moda Center on March 19, 2023 in Portland, Oregon.

A trade for Clippers superstar Paul George certainly would raise the Knicks’ ceiling.
Getty Images

The 76ers’ plans for now remain in flux with Harden requesting a trade and not appearing to have much of a market. The resolution of the Harden situation could impact the availability of reigning league MVP Joel Embiid, a former Rose client at CAA.

There remains a chance that Embiid or other star players become available later in the summer, and the Knicks need to be ready to pounce if and when they do to make a serious run at ending the franchise’s 50-year championship drought.

Stockpiling picks and adding role players is nice. But Rose and the Knicks still need to make a big swing to land a needle-mover if they want to keep up with the competition.

Barring another trade, deleting the 6-foot-9 Toppin and replacing him in Thibodeau’s nine-man rotation with the 6-foot-4 DiVincenzo means the Knicks likely will employ a small-ball configuration on the second unit.

Thibodeau was comfortable using Josh Hart and RJ Barrett at the power forward spot when Randle was sidelined with an ankle injury late in the regular season and in the playoffs.

RJ Barrett #9 of the New York Knicks dribbles the ball during Game 6 of the 2023 NBA Playoffs Eastern Conference Semi-Finals against the Miami Heat on May 12, 2023 at Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida.

RJ Barrett might find himself playing a lot more power forward next season with Obi Toppin now playing for the Pacers.
NBAE via Getty Images

He also could turn to Jericho Sims, who is recovering from shoulder surgery, against larger frontcourts after using the center alongside Isaiah Hartenstein at times while Toppin was out last winter.

Isaiah Roby, who is playing with the team’s summer league squad after signing a two-way deal late last season, also could get a look if a need arises.

In addition to Roby, there isn’t much to get excited about with the Knicks’ roster for summer league beyond two players who spent time on the end of the bench last season: DaQuan Jeffries and 2022 second-round pick Trevor Keels.

Toppin’s younger brother Jacob, who signed a two-way deal a week before his brother was traded, is out because of a minor injury, and 2021 second-round pick Rokas Jokubaitis also will not participate due to a Lithuanian national team commitment.

Trevor Keels #3 of the Westchester Knicks dribbles the ball against the Capital City GoGo during an NBA G-League game on March 25, 2023 at Entertainment and Sports Arena in Washington, DC.

After appearing in three games for the Knicks as a rookie, Trevor Keels will take a lead role on the organization’s summer league team.
NBAE via Getty Images

Khalid Moore, an undrafted wing out of Fordham, and 6-foot-6 wing Jaylen Martin of Overtime Elite also will play for the summer league Knicks, whose opener is Saturday against the 76ers.

Last year’s Vegas roster featured second-year players such as Sims, Quentin Grimes and Miles McBride, but the Knicks did not have a first-round pick in 2022 and had no picks in either round of this year’s draft.

Here is the remainder of the Knicks’ roster: Charlie Brown Jr. (guard, G League), Michael Foster Jr. (forward, G League), Marcus Garrett (guard, G League), Justyn Hailton (center, Switzerland), Jalen Harris (guard, G League), QJ Peterson (guard, China), David Shriver (guard, VCU), Dmytro Skapintsev (center, G League), Race Thompson (forward, Indiana).