Knicks Must Stay Patient With Trades

The New York Knicks have been one of the more active teams in the league on the trade front over the past year, but things may be calming down now that there are fewer assets to work with.

The Knicks are still looking to find ways to improve, but ESPN insider Chris Herring believes the team will take a backseat and allow their recent acquisitions to have a chance to prove themselves on the court.

“After a summer of wheeling and dealing to bring both Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns to Madison Square Garden, the Knicks seem inclined to wait things out on the trade market, even as the team’s defense underwhelms in uncharacteristic fashion,” Herring writes. “New York ranks 28th in one-on-one defense — highly disappointing given the reputation of stoppers Bridges and OG Anunoby — while rating 24th in rim protection. Still, it might be smarter to wait for a return to health than to make another trade. Achiuwa (hamstring) has progressed to on-court work, while Robinson (ankle) continues to rehab in hopes of a January return.”

The Knicks are in the middle of the pack in the Eastern Conference to start the season, so they will likely seek upgrades at some point. However, there is plenty of time between now and the Feb. 6 deadline, so the team could look to see how it performs over the next couple of months.

That being said, the Knicks should scour opportunities to make moves just to keep thoughts and ideas open. If they do that, they may find an offer that they cannot refuse sooner rather than later.

The Knicks are back in action tomorrow night as they take on the Brooklyn Nets at Madison Square Garden. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. ET.

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