Getty

With the NBA’s February 7th trade deadline less than three weeks away, many teams around the league are looking to trade for starting-caliber players, or reserves to round out their roster, as they endeavor to make a push toward the playoffs. The Knicks, on the other hand, are not focused on the upcoming postseason, but rather the free-agency period that follows. Thus, New York’s objective over the next few weeks is to hopefully clear as much future cap space as possible, while holding onto their young, promising players and draft picks.

Below, I take a look at what the immediate future may hold for each player on the Knicks roster.

* Kristaps Porzingis:

There are very few “untouchable” players on New York’s roster; however, KP qualifies as off limits. Not only has the homegrown Porzingis flashed All-NBA production at a young age (remember, KP averaged 30.4 points, 7.5 rebounds and 2.3 blocks over the Knicks first 12 games last season as a 22-year old), but because he is rehabbing from a torn ACL, New York would have to sell him at a discount if they were to consider trading him now. And, although some have suggested Porzingis may leave via free agency in July, I debunked that myth last week.

* Noah Vonleh:

While Porzingis is a player that will almost assuredly remain in NYC, I’d posit that Vonleh is the Knick most likely to be dealt by the deadline.

At the ripe age of 23, Vonleh is delivering on the promise that made him a top-ten pick in the 2014 NBA draft. He’s been arguably New York’s best all-around player this season. Vonleh ranks in the top-five on the team in total points, rebounds, assists, steals, blocks, made 3-pointers, field goal percentage, eFG%, and 3-point percentage, despite ranking just 12th in usage rate. For the advanced analytics crowd, he leads New York in Defensive Wins Shares and VORP. Per Basketball-Reference, he’s on pace to become just the 10th player in NBA history to average over eight rebounds and shoot above 40% from 3-point territory while attempting at least two treys per game, joining the likes of Larry Bird, LeBron James, Dirk Nowitzki, Carmelo Anthony and Kevin Love.

So, why would the rebuilding Knicks consider trading a young, productive player entering his prime? Good question. The answer has to do with dollars and cents, not production or potential. Because this is Vonleh’s first year in New York, the Knicks will not have his Bird Rights when he becomes an unrestricted free agent this summer. Thus, due to Collective Bargaining Agreement rules, the Knicks can only exceed the salary cap to re-sign him if he agrees to a raise at or below 20%. With Vonleh making $1,512,601 this season, it means New York can only offer him $1,815,121. The reality is that Vonleh, as well as he’s played, is going to receive offers far, far greater than just $1.8 million. As a result, it makes little sense for the Knicks to hold onto him past the deadline. In order to create the max cap space possible this summer, they would renounce his rights anyway, given the near certainty that he’d field offers in excess of $2 million. At the same time, if the Knicks coaching staff and front office were determined to bring him back, if he is traded away they would have the same opportunity as every other team in the NBA once he hits unrestricted free agency in July.

Two outlets have already reported that Sixers have expressed interest in Vonleh. Many other teams that hope to compete for a title will undoubtedly kick the tires as well, as few players are versatile enough to effectively guard quick forwards and burly centers, while also having the ability to stretch the floor on the offensive end. It seems possible the Knicks may be able to swap Vonleh for a late first-round pick, which would be a masterful job of roster-building and asset acquisition from GM Scott Perry, who signed Vonleh off the scrap heap prior to the start of the 2018-19 campaign.

* Emmanuel Mudiay

Like Vonleh, Mudiay is another former lottery pick enjoying a career year in 2018-19. And, like Vonleh, the Knicks would be wise to flip him for a future asset, ASAP.

Mudiay exhibited flashes of his tantalizing upside over his first two seasons in the league, but was awful in 2017-18. Denver dumped him into New York’s lap at last year’s trade deadline. Surprisingly, Mudiay has revived his career under coach David Fizdale, who demanded he improve his conditioning and subsequently boosted the point guard’s confidence level. Mudiay is currently averaging career-highs in scoring (14.8 points per game), field goal percentage (45.1%), PER (16.0) and True Shooting percentage (53.1%), while also averaging a career-low in turnover rate (12.9%). Over the Knicks last three games, he’s averaging 21.7 points (on 49% shooting) and 4.3 rebounds. Whether or not he can keep this up, or improve defensively, is still very much up for debate.

New York will likely have to renounce Mudiay’s rights after the season if they are unable to trade him before February 7th. He has a $12 million cap hold for next season, which is way too rich for a Knicks team desperate to clear as much cap space as possible. With multiple teams in the market for added point guard depth off the bench, he may have some suitors. As an added bonus, trading him would open up much-needed playing time for Frank Ntilikina at point guard over the second half of the season. If the Knicks could move Mudiay in exchange for a second-round pick, that would qualify as a win for New York.

Getty

* Tim Hardaway Jr. / Courtney Lee

I examined the outlook for both Hardaway Jr. and Lee in depth last week in reference to a possible trade sending either player to the Sacramento Kings. The destination can obviously change, but the bottom line is that New York will almost certainly have to deal either THJ (owed $18.2 million in 2019-20) or Lee ( owed $12.8 million in 2019-20) in order to create the $38 million in cap space necessary to make a max offer to Kevin Durant, or any other top-tier free agent with ten-plus years of NBA experience. In order to trade Hardaway, they may be forced to attach a valuable asset, such as a protected, future first-round pick. If the Knicks are unable to make a deal, but end up needing the requisite cap space to land a big fish willing to sign in New York, they would likely, be forced to stretch-and-waive Lee in July.

* Enes Kanter:

Kanter has again played well offensively this season. Despite seeing limited playing time off the bench, he has been productive when he’s on the floor. In fact, among players that have logged at least 1,000 minutes this season, Kanter and Joel Embiid are the only two players averaging at least 19 points and 14 rebounds per-36 minutes. While he’s still a sieve defensively, a team looking for a big to provide an offensive spark could be intrigued.

There’s a solid chance Kanter is not a member of the Knicks by this time next month. New York would love to trade him in exchange for a future asset, such as a second-round selection. If no team is willing to bite, Kanter and the Knicks could potentially agree to a buyout. Such an agreement may benefit both parties, as it would allow Enes to sign with a contender, while also allowing New York to give additional playing time to Mitchell Robinson and Luke Kornet.

* Kevin Knox:

Like Porzingis, there is virtually zero chance of the Knicks even considering trading away Knox. The 19-year old rookie’s game still needs a lot of work, but his raw tools are undeniably impressive.

* Allonzo Trier:

Trier started the season on fire. He became the NBA’s first undrafted rookie to score at least 15 points on opening night since 2004, and the first Knick rookie to score at least 15 points in each his first two career games at Madison Square Garden since Willis Reed. At the end of November, he was averaging 12.0 points and 3.2 rebounds, while shooting 50% from the floor, 46.2% from 3-point territory, and 81.5% from the charity stripe.

Before his two-way contract expired, the Knicks inked him to a two-year, $6.9 million pact. It’s the wealthiest contract signed by a player coming off a two-way deal.

However, Trier started struggling before spraining his ankle in early December and has been inconsistent since his return. Over his last 15 games, Trier is averaging 6.0 points and 2.1 rebounds, while shooting a frigid 34% from the field and 19% from downtown. New York is unable to deal Trier, due to the trade restriction attached to the deal h signed in December. The Knicks do hold a team option on Trier for the 2019-20 season, which gives New York the flexibility to create an extra $3.5 million in cap space by declining the option.

* Trey Burke

Burke’s disappointing second season in New York is a reminder that it’s wise to trade a player at his peak when possible.

Last year, Burke was promoted up from the G League in January and provided an immediate spark for the Knicks. In the 23 games New York played after the All-Star break in 2017-18, Burke averaged just a shade under 16 points and six assists, while shooting 50% from the floor. Heading into the offseason, some Knicks fans were convinced the team had found their starting point guard of the future. This season, Burke’s averages and percentages have regressed to match his career numbers: 11 ppg on 40% shooting. Burke will become an unrestricted free agent this summer, and while the Knicks would certainly be happy to trade him, though there is not a strong market for his services.

* Damyean Dotson

After spending his rookie season shuffling back and forth between the G League and the big club, Dotson has played well and earned a spot in the Knicks rotation in 2018-19. He scores efficiently as one of New York’s most consistent long-range shooters, and is one of the team’s better perimeter defenders.

Dotson is in the middle of a three-year, $4.1 million contract. His salary next season is non-guaranteed at $1.6 million. While the Knicks will look to shed all unnecessary salary commitments before the start of free agency in July, waiving Dotson will free up a minimal amount of money. If the Knicks were to renounce Dotson’s rights after the season, it would only create approximately $800,000 in cap savings. While they would move him in the right deal, it seems unlikely other teams would be overly interested. Thus, it seems likely they will hold onto Dotson past the deadline and into 2019-20.

Getty

* Frank Ntilikina

Few Knicks in recent memory have caused as much friction among the fanbase as Ntilikina. As I wrote back in December, “[Ntilikina’s] detractors point to his putrid and inefficient offensive production as proof that he’s already a bust. This anti-Frank contingent argues that New York’s front office should explore trade options immediately, before Ntilikina’s value plummets into oblivion. On the other side of the aisle, pro-Frank factions are quick to remind the pessimists that Ntilikina is just 20 years old, is still a work in progress, and has already exhibited value as a versatile defender.”

More than six weeks after that article was published, it seems both sides remained unswayed. Despite flashes of upside, Ntilikina has yet to find his rhythm offensively and is somehow still shooting below 35% from the floor, while his rebound and assist rates have actually dropped compared to his rookie campaign. Yet, even when his shot isn’t falling, Frank is able to utilize his exceptional length and defensive instincts to smother opponents.

Personally, I’m of the opinion that New York should hold onto Ntilikina, as opposed to selling low. Should the Knicks dream scenario come to fruition this summer – they land a high lottery pick and sign a top-tier free agent – they are going to need players like Ntilikina. By that, I mean players that won’t demand a hefty salary nor demand touches while on the floor. Ntilikina, still just 20 years old, is on his way to developing into an elite perimeter defender. If he can become improve his shooting percentage to just league-average, he could be a solid contributor on a winning team. He’s the type of player that is most valuable on a talented squad, when his offensive contributions are merely considered a bonus. If the Knicks somehow end up with a stud scorer like Durant alongside Porzingis and Knox, they won’t need another flashy scorer. They’ll need a guard that is content to focus on defense and defer to his teammates on offense. That’s a role that fits Frank perfectly. Even if they don’t land Durant, a defensive-minded player like Ntilikina is a solid complement to a core of KP, Knox and a lottery pick such as Zion Williamson, R.J. Barrett, Cam Reddish or Ja Morant.

Ideally, New York will allow Ntilikina to start at point guard over the second half of the season and wait to see how this summer shakes out before considering moving on.

* Mitchell Robinson

Like Porzingis and Knox, Mitchell Robinson isn’t going anywhere. Robinson is locked into a team-friendly contract, with multiple team-options, that will pay him approximately $1.6 million annually through the 2021-22 season. Even if he plateaus as merely a one-dimensional player capable of blocking shots and pulling down rebounds in limited minutes off the bench, that’s a significant win for the franchise. Having a reliable rotation player account for less than 2% of your team’s salary cap is incredibly valuable. That allows GM Scott Perry to dedicate resources to other aspects of the roster.

* Mario Hezonja

The Knicks were excited to land Hezonja last offseason. He reportedly turned down multi-year offers from other clubs to ink a one-year deal with New York. However, Super Mario has failed to live up to expectations in NYC. He’s been remarkably inefficient on offense, shooting below 40% from the floor and 30% from 3-point territory. Hezonja has said he would like to remain in New York long-term, but the Knicks are going to have to renounce his rights at the end of this season. It’s possible they could re-sign him at a discount if they strike out in free agency and have cap space leftover.

* Luke Kornet

Kornet has been surprisingly productive for New York of late. After being used sporadically over the first couple months of the season, Kornet carved out consistent minutes in December and eventually earned a spot in the starting lineup. In the eight games he has started, Kornet is averaging 12.9 points, 3.9 rebounds and 2.9 made 3-pointers, while shooting 44.7% from the floor and 48.1% from downtown. He’s likely to stay with the Knicks past the deadline and has a $2 million qualifying offer for 2019-20.

* Lance Thomas

The 30-year old Thomas has appeared in just three of the Knicks last ten games. He’ll see even fewer minutes over the second half of the season, as New York gives as much playing time as possible to their youngsters. Just $1 million of Thomas’ $7.6 million salary for 2019-20 is guaranteed, which is why it’s a virtual certainty that the Knicks will waive him after this season.

Getty

Get the best of Forbes to your inbox with the latest insights from experts across the globe.