"You are spending championship money" - Gilbert Arenas calls out Knicks for having no star player despite splashy trades
The New York Knicks recently made waves in the NBA after shockingly trading RJ Barrett away to the Toronto Raptors in exchange for OG Anunoby. New York is struggling to remain a top-five team in the Eastern Conference, so many were upset by the trade. On paper, Barrett is a better player than Anunoby, considering he has better numbers.
While it's evident that the Knicks are doing their best to develop a formidable team this season, former NBA player Gilbert Arenas was left unimpressed with how management has handled the team so far. Arenas called out New York for wasting their money on players who aren't of superstar caliber. He thinks the team should focus on acquiring at least one star first and then build around that player afterward.
"When the numbers come out on who spent the most money, [Knicks], Lakers, Boston, you're top four every year," Arenas exclaimed. "One has 18 championships, the other has 18 championships, your a** sitting here with nothing. But you are spending championship money."
Is it time for the Knicks to move on from Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle?
When Jalen Brunson made his way to the New York Knicks last season, he was able to help Julius Randle reshape the squad into a playoff team. They secured the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference last season and made it to the second round before getting eliminated by the Miami Heat.
While it's nothing too impressive, New York wasn't exactly a playoff team a season prior. Fast forward to the present day, New York essentially had the same team from last year before recently trading RJ Barrett to the Toronto Raptors for OG Anunoby.
However, it appears that the duo of Brunson and Randle have been struggling to remain a top-five team in the East. As of this publishing, the Knicks are in seventh place with an 18-15 win-loss record.
New York still has a chance to climb back up, considering they're only 1.5 games behind the Orlando Magic, currently ranked fourth in the East with a 19-13 record. But the fact that they're still fighting for a spot at the top is a clear indication that the team needs a change of scenery with a legitimate star player like what Gilbert Arenas said.