Analyst Slams Knicks After Trade Deadline

The New York Knicks may have missed an opportunity at the trade deadline.

Jan 21, 2025; Brooklyn, New York, USA; New York Knicks center Jericho Sims (20) warms up prior to the game against the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images / Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

The New York Knicks are content with their team after the trade deadline passed earlier this week.

The Knicks didn't make any big moves after trading for Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns over the offseason, but they did send Jericho Sims to the Milwaukee Bucks in a three-team trade with the Washington Wizards while acquiring Delon Wright.

CBS Sports writer Sam Quinn graded every team's trade deadline and gave the Knicks a "C" for their performance.

"Inaction was probably the right course for New York, outside of the minor Jericho Sims-for-Delon Wright swap," Quinn writes.

"Their only two feasibly movable salaries were Mitchell Robinson and Precious Achiuwa. Achiuwa is playing too well to justify a move at his meager $6 million salary, and the Knicks were never going to get reasonable value for the perpetually injured Robinson. Ultimately, Robinson should be treated as their deadline addition. The ability to legitimately play two-big and defense-centric lineups, which this current roster lacks, is a meaningful upgrade in itself. The Knicks don't get credit for that since Robinson was already on the team, but they probably navigated this deadline correctly."

The Knicks run such a small rotation anyways that any move wouldn't have pushed the needle much further. That being said, Wright gives the Knicks some depth and experience in the backcourt, and that could come in handy as the season begins to wind down.

Could the Knicks have done more to improve their team? Absolutely. However, the season wasn't won and lost based on the performance at the trade deadline. Rather, it will come down to the core of the team that has been established far before this week ever happened.

The Knicks are back in action tonight against the defending NBA champion Boston Celtics. Tipoff is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.

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