Knicks Trade Proposal Brings Homecoming, Interior Depth
The New York Knicks are looking for a little magic at the trade deadline. What better place to turn, in which case, than Orlando?
A trade proposal from FanNation's "The Magic Insider" brings together Manhattan and Central Florida, proposing a swap that nets the Knicks Mo Bamba while Isaiah Hartenstein and Cam Reddish head south.
Though Bamba, the sixth overall pick of the 2018 draft, re-upped with Orlando last offseason, he's no stranger to having his name linked to the Knicks, even flat-out begging New York State native Donovan Mitchell to "come home" on social media when the future Cleveland Cavalier sought new surroundings. Bamba, 24, is a Harlem native and averaged a career-best 10.6 points and 8.1 rebounds. He has returned to reserve duties this time around but could find an immediate opportunity in New York with starting center Mitchell Robinson out for at least three weeks.
TMI's Jeremy Brener hints that the Knicks could also take advantage of the seven-footer's newfound propensity for outside shooting: Bamba sank a career-best 107 triples last season and is shooting 38 percent from deep over the last two seasons. The Knicks (33.7 percent) rank 26th in three-point success rate entering Friday night action.
"As a floor spacer, Bamba is shooting over 37 percent from three this season," Brener notes. "The Knicks rank 26th in the NBA in three-point percentage, a number they will need to improve if they want to contend in the playoffs this season."
To Brener's point, the four teams behind the Knicks (25-21) in three-point success rate (LA Lakers, Toronto, Houston, and Charlotte) are currently out of their respective conference's top ten.
Trading Reddish at this point feels like a no-braner: the first-round pick from Atlanta hasn't played since Dec. 3 despite briefly breaking into the starting five earlier this season. A situation like Orlando's ... one where there's nothing to play for except lottery positioning and where the latter half of the season will primarily be used for developmental purposes ... could be perfect for Reddish to reclaim the narrative on his NBA career.
As for Hartenstein, Tom Thibodeau's demanding systems appear to have taken him out of his comfort zone, leading to Jericho Sims getting more minutes when Robinson has missed time. Sweetening the deal with Hartenstein would also be a way to ensure that the Knicks can keep their expansive first-round pick cabinet away from a deal for a backup center, saving that for the rainy day of a superstar (like Zach LaVine, perhaps).
The Knicks and Magic have done battle once already this season, with the former prevailing at Madison Square Garden. They're slated to battle again in Orlando on Feb. 7.
Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags
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