President Leon Rose deserves kudos for making the Knicks better at the trade deadline, contends Stefan Bondy of The New York Post (subscriber link).
While Rose made a mistake by signing Guerschon Yabusele in free agency last summer, he corrected his error by essentially flipping the French forward/center and a pair of second-round picks to acquire Jose Alvarado. The backup point guard fills a position of need, and his smaller salary also gives the Knicks enough breathing room beneath their second-apron hard cap that they should be players on the buyout market, Bondy writes.
The fact that Giannis Antetokounmpo is still a Buck benefited the Knicks as well, Bondy notes, since the star forward wasn’t sent to an Eastern Conference rival. New York will have the option of revisiting trade talks for the two-time MVP in the offseason, when the team will have a pair of first-round picks to offer.
Here’s more on the Knicks:
- Prior to Friday’s game, head coach Mike Brown said he was excited about what Alvarado will bring to the Knicks, according to Bondy (Twitter link). “He just brings a level of toughness to the team, his energy is unmatched. What he can do defensively in the full court and even in the frontcourt on the ball especially on pick-and-rolls and stuff like that, is at a pretty high level,” Brown said. “He shoots it better than most people think. We want to play fast and we believe he’s a guy who will come in and push the pace. Get us into our offense and all that other stuff. Because he is quick, he’s got a low center of gravity. Been around for a while, he’ll touch the paint and make others better. We’re a big spray team and he should be good in that area too. So excited to have him.”
- The Knicks love Mitchell Robinson. Will they extend him or re-sign him in free agency this summer? “As one team put it to me a couple days ago, they may value him more than (any other team) in the league,” Ian Begley of SNY.tv said (Twitter video link). ” … Because of that, and because of the signals some Knick people have given out to other teams, I assume they’re going to do what they can — do what they have to do — to re-sign him.”
- Second-year guard Tyler Kolek said he’s looking forward to competing with Alvarado for minutes in the wake of Miles McBride‘s sports hernia surgery, Bondy writes for The New York Post. “There’s always competition in this league. Obviously Deuce is out for a little bit. We’re trying to be a championship-level team so you bring in as much talent as you can,” Kolek said Friday. “I’m going to compete every single day. He’s going to compete. Everybody on this team is going to compete for minutes. So it’s no slight to anybody.” Citing league sources, Begley hears McBride is expected to return to action in six-to-eight weeks after he undergoes the procedure (Twitter link).
- New York’s eight-game winning streak was snapped on Friday when the team was blown out by the top-seeded Pistons in Detroit. Karl-Anthony Towns (right eye laceration) and OG Anunoby (right toe soreness) were out for the Knicks, while Jalen Duren (right knee soreness) was sidelined for Detroit.
Low key solid deadline
Yabusele waiving next years option no doubt helped grease all the wheels.
NY should thank him
Giannis % for opening night next year rises by a nice chunk
They needed a good defensive shooting PF along with a veteran PG and not another twenty year old player. No veterans still other than Clarkson
Alvarado is 27 and it’s his 5th year in the league.
I know
Maybe I misunderstood your comment, but they got their veteran PG, wouldn’t you say?
Calling it now that Haywood Highsmith will be the Knicks free agent acquisition.
Already residing in NY as he was with the Nets. Exactly what they’re looking for at the 3/4.
Agent said he was set to make his debut Feb 11th.
Too late, I already called it yesterday on another blog
Too late, I already called it in my diary last July
I’ve been thinking this would happen for years.
The Bulls and AK out here correcting everyone’s mistakes and giving handouts…
Getting Alvarado certainly mitigates the mistake of signing Yabu, but it hardly corrects it. The off season roster construction was permanently compromised by the hard cap that using the Txp-MLE imposed.
If the NYK don’t win it all, then, right or wrong, they’ll likely do what it takes to bring in Giannis in the off season. One last gambler’s throw to get the team over the top.
That was sone hardcore spanking by Pistons last night🙈.
I don’t think Knicks have any chance in matchup against Pistons, their only chance is some other team takes out Pistons before ecf.
Kolek has his 15 mins of fame.. now he go back to the gulag.. it’s GTA NY edition time baby.. man the Knicks suck! Go pistons!