NBA Trade Rumors Roundup, January 23rd: J.R. Smith's NBA future in doubt, Knicks clear out and more
We have now passed the halfway point of the 2018/19 NBA season, and teams are starting to get a good idea about where they currently stand. Up until this point, both Conferences have remained competitive, with eleven teams in playoff contention in the Eastern Conference, whereas every team except the Phoenix Suns has a shot in the West.
The February trade deadline is also quickly approaching, as the NBA has made changes to the deadline so that it will now always occur 10 days before the All-Star game. This has been done so that players, who get traded, have time to settle into their new teams, and this year's trade window will close on February 7th.
So with the deadline just three weeks away, here are the biggest trade rumors you need to know for January 23rd.
New York Knicks departures
The New York Knicks are already well out of playoff contention and the franchise has now turned their attention to the 2019 offseason. Due to this, a number of the Knicks roster could leave before the trade deadline, and The Athletic is reporting that Tim Hardaway Jr and Courtney Lee are attracting interest:
Teams have asked the Knicks about Hardaway Jr. and Lee, according to league sources, but the Knicks have been adamant about not attaching assets to move them. Maybe a playoff team in need of scoring or wings will accede at some point and offer the Knicks a worthwhile return, or maybe the pressure of the trade deadline can make things move along
Hardaway Jr. is currently in the second year of a four-year deal, and so far this season has averaged 19.6 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game. Meanwhile, Lee has played just 10 times this season, averaging 5.3 points, 2.4 rebounds and 1.4 assists.