The New York Knicks swung their second blockbuster trade in three months, landing Karl-Anthony Towns from the Minnesota Timberwolves in exchange for Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo.
The shocking move gives the Knicks an All-Star stretch big that will make the Knicks offense incredibly difficult to defend.
It also figures to shake up the rotation, as the Knicks sent out two of their top six rotation players in the deal.
The Knicks could go with two different starting lineups in the wake of the trade, choosing either Josh Hart or Miles McBride to fill in the open slot. Here’s a look at both options:
PG: Jalen Brunson
SG: Mikal Bridges
SF: Josh Hart
PF: OG Anunoby
C: Karl-Anthony Towns
Or the Knicks could go with McBride as the two-guard.
PG: Jalen Brunson
SG: Miles McBride
SF: Mikal Bridges
PF: OG Anunoby
C: Karl-Anthony Towns
Hart is the better player and would likely close games for the Knicks alongside Brunson, Bridges, Anunoby, and Towns. However, head coach Tom Thibodeau may want to bring Hart off the bench in a Sixth Man role that could give him more freedom.
Thibodeau started McBride in different spots last season and got good results, with McBride’s shooting and on-ball defense proving to be a good fit next to Brunson.
With the trade, the Knicks now have some rotation choices to make. Their depth once looked like a strength, but with Mitchell Robinson injured and Randle and DiVincenzo now gone, the Knicks will need to elevate some deeper-bench players into the rotation. It could mean that Landry Shamet and Marcus Morris, two players who are on non-guaranteed training camp deals, could make the final roster.
Until Robinson returns from injury (assuming he’s still on the roster), here is a look at how the Knicks rotation could shake out, with Hart filling is as the fifth starter.
- Jalen Brunson/Cameron Payne
- Mikal Bridges/Miles McBride
- Josh Hart/Landry Shamet
- OG Anunoby/Marcus Morris
- Karl-Anthony Towns/Precious Achiuwa
Of course, the rotation won’t be so cut-and-dry. Thibodeau will swap starters out early to buoy bench units. For instance, Thibodeau could bring in McBride for Bridges and Achiuwa for Towns, so that those two could play alongside players bench players like Payne and perhaps Morris.
It’s also possible that rookies like point guard Tyler Kolek or even forward Pacome Dadiet could make the rotation.
The Knicks might not be done yet. They are probably short one wing. While Morris and Shamet are prove veterans, they are also fringe rotation players who did not sign with a team until September.
The Knicks have elite top-end talent, but their new-look team will also need more depth.
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