All-Star guard Jalen Brunson has undergone surgery on his broken left hand and veteran forward Bojan Bogdanovic has undergone surgery to address a left wrist injury, the Knicks announced today (Twitter links). According to the team, both players will be reevaluated in approximately six-to-eight weeks.
Brunson suffered his hand injury during the final game of the Knicks’ postseason run in New York on Sunday. He was forced out of the Game 7 loss to Indiana early as a result of the fracture. While today’s announcement doesn’t provide any specifics on Brunson’s recovery timeline beyond the six-to-eight-week reevaluation, he’ll presumably be good to go for training camp in the fall.
The star guard had his best season as a pro in 2023/24, averaging a career-high 28.7 points and 6.7 assists per game on .479/.401/.847 shooting in 77 starts (35.4 MPG). He finished fifth in MVP voting and will be extension-eligible this offseason. According to Steve Popper of Newsday, “all indications” are that Brunson will be open to signing a new four-year, $156MM deal with the Knicks this summer rather than putting it off in the hopes of maximizing his earnings.
As for Bogdanovic, this is the second time he has gone under the knife since his season ended on April 28. The Knicks confirmed on April 30 that the 35-year-old was undergoing surgery on his injured left foot, announcing at that time that he’d be reevaluated in three months. That suggests the recovery timeline for his foot will extend beyond the one for his wrist procedure.
After averaging 20.2 points per game on .468/.415/.779 shooting in 28 appearances for the Pistons earlier in the season, Bogdanovic saw his production drop off as a Knick. He averaged just 10.4 PPG with a .430/.370/.800 shooting line in 29 games for New York and didn’t make a significant impact in the playoffs, making 7-of-24 shots (29.2%) in a limited role during the first four games of the team’s first-round series vs. Philadelphia.
Bogdanovic is under contract for one more season, but his $19MM salary for 2024/25 is only partially guaranteed for $2MM, so the Knicks will have a decision to make on him by June 28. His salary would become fully guaranteed if he remains under contract beyond that date.
As disappointed as I am about the way the playoffs ended for NY, I’m glad all of these injured players can have some extended time to get healthy and recover for next season. Hoping the knicks can keep the majority of this group together and possibly add a few depth pieces to the bench through a trade or free agency.
Re-Sign Hartenstein
Re-Sign Anunoby
Look to upgrade from Achiuwa, Bogdanovic & Burks.
Maybe look at Kevon Looney for some rebounding and Physical play off the bench.
Maybe consider a backup guard like Cole Anthony, Kris Dunn
What do you think the odds are they pick up Bojans option. Would be very useful in a trade.
They reup iHart and OG.
Do you move Mitchell? He’s always injured. Capela will be available, similar skill set albeit age difference by 3 years. But 77, 65, 74, 67, 39, 63, 74, 65, 73 games played over his career for Capela vs 66, 61, 31, 72, 59, 31 for Mitchell.
You could move Mitchell for someone other than Capela, you could move Bojan and a pick for Capela tho.
Capela + iHart and you draft a center in the first. Ware, Edey, Missi could be available. Chomche in the second.
I think they almost have to just for salary matching purposes.
Bojan is 19 Capela is 22 I think
NYK’s first move should be to re-sign OG, which hopefully will occur before FA starts. IH is also a priority, but he might be more complicated (hopefully not). We don’t have full Bird Rights on IH and can only offer about 16 mm to start. Seems like it should be sufficient, but with the dearth of talent in NBA free agency these days, he and his agent may at least want to do a deeper test of the market. Obviously, it would be a HUGE loss, and one that we can’t compensate for in the draft or with the MLE free agent options.
Based on his play with the NYK, it would seem like an easy decision to decline BB’s option. But perhaps not. Assuming OG and IH are resigned, declining BB’s option isn’t going to create cap space (although it might open up the MLE). We need another scorer off the bench. It’s 17 mm of incremental payroll for 1 year. Tradable at 19 mm as an expiring deal. It’s not a no-brainer either way.
With Achiuwa (RFA) and Burks (UFA), its hard to tell. I think the NYK will make Achiuwa a Q/O, but even that is not certain. Burks would always be welcome back, but his role and salary are the issues. If they decline the BB option, then I do see Burks being back.
The draft picks are too low to expect immediate rotation players, or to have much trade value. But they do have to replenish their RSC’s, so using both on BPA might be a good way to go.
IMO Think Precious is a keeper. IH and OG must stay unless they want to ring chase somewhere else. I would love Booker or Mikal. However what about CP3 or Westbrook? What do other Knicks fans think. Also. Ryan A come back to NY as a possible player/coach. I would trade Mitch and Randle plus 4 picks but I don’t think that’s enough for a Booker.
In my opinion, I would hard pass on Westbrook. CP3 could be an okay option as a backup PG. We have enough draft assets to pull off a trade for a very talented player without having to give up the likes of Randle. I could see us including Bojan and/or Mitch in a package with some key draft picks for a top-notch return.
Honestly I’m just done with rumors and predictions since the LBJ decision. I won’t believe anything until it happens
I doubt Randle is included in any trade discussions, unless they get back (or separately acquire) a big who can create a shot at a level of at least a second option. We survived for almost 4 months as a one option team, but I don’t think there is any desire to continue with that.
I know a lot of Knicks fans hated Bojan, but I thought he played a lot better in the last 10 or so games of the regular season. I think he had trouble adjusting and fitting in initially, but got a little more into his groove as time went on. Bringing him back might be a good idea. He’s a sharpshooter and a solid bench piece. Everyone healthy, he would be in the second unit with McBride, Bojan, Hart, Precious, and Mitchell Robinson. That’s a great bench.
You run the risk of Bojan becoming Fournier 2.0, but I don’t think it’s the case. Bojan puts a little more effort into defense. Bojan’s contract would just be for one year instead of Fournier’s four year deal. Plus Bojan would be 2nd unit, unlike Fournier who originally started. And if Bojan sucks, he’s expiring and can be dealt away (or just ride it out).
Only worry with IH is Okc, I could see a 3/75 being presented making it a real scare for NYK .* But Okc usually gets scared by its own shadow come July 1 so that works in your favor
Pretty standard operation after that, they’ll lie between apron 1 an 2 when alls said and done making them a big {possible} trade partner leaguewide if one presents itself equipped with nice matchings/picks
* Could go either way but I think with the full MLE market so crappy this year they just opt BB in. Only fit I’d be interested in around that full MLE number would be Derrick Jones
There are plenty of options for the Knicks. Inlove Thibs, but we gotta assure enough rotation for the playoffs. I don’t he chances his styke, because we got this far, and in this posición, coming from ostracism, since he took the reigns as head coach. But I would adjust the minutes, to have the higher chances (You never know 100%), to have the players healthy for the long playoff picture.