Trade For 'Max Player' Remains Knicks' 'Clear Goal'
The New York Knicks are approaching a tipping point in their current pursuit toward a championship. New York has slowly compiled assets through the draft and free agency that has given the team a roster talented enough to win a playoff series, topping Cleveland for their first such victory since 2013.
Winning a playoff series is a good goal, but it isn't the final destination. Ultimately, the Knicks want a championship, and in order to do that, they need a star to complement the key pieces currently on the roster.
"The Knicks have built toward a clear goal: They want to trade for a star," The Athletic's Fred Katz writes. "They’ve compiled middling salaries because they believe it will help them deal for a max player. They’ve loaded up on as many first-round picks as they can get. They have desirable players still in their early 20s."
Whether or not that star is reigning MVP Joel Embiid or a player like Los Angeles Clippers guard Paul George remains to be seen. All we know now is that the Knicks want, and need, a star to get them further.
Among the "middling salaries" the Knicks are obtaining that could lead them to a star is Evan Fournier, who is set to make just under $19 million this season, and R.J. Barrett, who is about to start a four-year extension worth just over $100 million. Add in young talented players like Immanuel Quickley and Quentin Grimes, along with a couple of future first-round picks, and the Knicks would have a compelling package to offer if a star that intrigues them seeks a trade.
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