NBA Rumors: New York Knicks 'hunting' for a new star to become available
Recent NBA rumors have suggested that the New York Knicks are still in the process of 'hunting' for a star-caliber player to become available. Heavy.com's Sean Deveney learned more on the matter in a recent interview with an unnamed NBA executive.
The New York had a lot of aspirations to emerge as a superpower in the Eastern Conference this season. Coming off a particularly disappointing campaign, the Knicks hoped to improve upon their situation in the offseason.
They made some headway on the matter when they signed Jalen Brunson in free agency. Although New York also did a great job by offering a max extension to young star RJ Barrett, the Knicks whiffed over a huge trade opportunity when they failed to acquire Donovan Mitchell.
The Knicks fell short of their goals after failing to acquire Mitchell from the Utah Jazz. However, the team still has room to improve its roster in the future. Some rumors mention their openness to making Derrick Rose and Immanuel Quickley available. With this in mind, Sean Deveney learned of the Knicks' plans for the future from an NBA executive. The executive said:
"The Knicks are still trying to stockpile picks. That is what it is all about for them. They are approaching things like there will be a star who they can get—Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Anthony Davis, (Kevin) Durant, Karl-Anthony Towns, someone—a star who comes on the market soon."
He continued,
"They want picks. If they can get two first-rounders for Quickley, they would but that is too high a price. Maybe a young guy or a prospect playing in Europe, someone like that, and a first-rounder, a protected first-rounder, that is probably where the market ends up on him."
NBA Exec says the Knicks are on the hunt for the next available star
“They are approaching things like there will be a star who they can get—Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Anthony Davis, Durant, Karl-Anthony Towns—a star who comes on the market soon.”
(Via @SeanDeveney ) https://t.co/Tu55zlgxDq
The prospective market for Immanuel Quickley does look impressive. With the young guard averaging 11.1 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game, there is some room for him to contribute to a team.
However, an important aspect to mention in these plans is the Knicks' belief that a superstar wants to join the team. Given the names that have been mentioned by the executive, there is a lot of speculation regarding the quality of players New York is targeting.
Considering the pre-existing links between the Knicks and OKC Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, there may be some more developments to look forward to.
The New York Knicks are in need of a bonafide star
Rumors regarding the New York Knicks' plans to land a star-caliber player are justified by the team's current status. Although Julius Randle earned an All-Star selection in the 2020-21 season, the Knicks haven't had a bonafide star since.
New York hasn't seen Randle play at the same level since his All-Star and MIP season. The expectation of seeing RJ Barrett develop into a star hasn't unfolded the way the team would have expected either.
In this regard, this year's offseason presented a lot of promise for the Knicks. Unfortunately, their failure to land Donovan Mitchell certainly put a damper on their aspirations.
While taking a look at the players the NBA executive mentioned to Sean Deveney, the Knicks have several star-caliber forwards to pick from. This falls into an ideal spot as trade rumors linking Julius Randle and the Miami Heat displays the vacancy in New York's frontcourt.
While the New York Knicks could be in pursuit of a star, the team will hope to present itself as an appealing destination. With an 8-8 record in the East, New York will have to do a better job of doing so.