Report: Knicks Eyeing Hornets’ Nick Richards as Potential Trade Target

Following the news that Knicks Center Mitchell Robinson will miss the first two months of the NBA season due to injury, James Edwards of The Athletic proposed three potential trade targets for New York to bolster their front-court. The list included Isaiah Stewart, Walker Kessler and Charlotte Hornets’ center Nick Richards.

“Richards, who league sources tell The Athletic is someone the Knicks have had on their radar this offseason, is a big, physical specimen with a good motor”

– James Edwards – The Athletic

Due to the Knicks financial restraints, they need to find a low cost big. Richards fits the bill, earning just $10M combined over the next two seasons. Originally from Jamaica, Richards played high school basketball in New York and is known to stay in the city at times over the off-season. Having the chance to start on a contender, in a major market would likely be of interest to Richards.

Proposed trade

Knicks Receive: Nick Richards + CLT Future 2nd
Hornets Receive: Miles McBride and Keita Bate-Diop

McBride is a 6’2 combo guard with a freakish 6’9 wingspan, he’s a good point of attack defender and had a career season last year shooting 41% from three on four attempts per game. With three years $13M left on his contract and only 24 years old, he is a proven, low-cost rotation player. McBride also had an impressive playoff run, scoring in double figures in seven of the Knicks thirteen games. His addition would bolster Charlotte’s guard depth, but equally leave them thing in the frontcourt.

Charlotte shouldn’t be wedded to Richards, especially if they have the opportunity to sell high to a desperate Knicks team, but for me the proposed deal isn’t high enough. It would be a sideways move, far away from a “Can’t say no” offer. Charlotte are rebuilding, a Richards trade would be looking to add future draft capital, not send it out. Moving forward McBride would be a useful player, but does he make sense with Josh Green and Cody Martin, who are similar archetypes already on the roster? This one doesn’t pass the sniff test unless the draft assets were flipped and Charlotte were the recipients.

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