Knicks Trade Target Nick Richards Sent to Phoenix

Former Charlotte Hornet Nick Richards was previously targeted by the New York Knicks.

Mar 7, 2023; New York, New York, USA; Charlotte Hornets center Nick Richards (4) rebounds in front of New York Knicks center Isaiah Hartenstein (55) during the second half at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

The latest wave on the NBA's transactional front stings the New York Knicks.

Per Shams Charania of ESPN, the Charlotte Hornets are trading center Nick Richards to the Phoenix Suns for Josh Okogie and a trio of second-round picks. Richards had reportedly been on the metropolitan radar but instead heads west to solve the Suns' ongoing interior issues headlined by the exile of Jusuf Nurkic.

There's a grim coincidence of Richards, viewed by some as the top interior option on the trade block, getting traded on Wednesday: a report from Stefan Bondy and Peter Botte of the New York Post stated that starting center Karl-Anthony Towns will play the rest of this season with a bone chip in the right thumb he sprained in Monday's loss in Detroit. Towns missed Wednesday's tilt against the Philadelphia 76ers due to swelling in the thumb.

Jan 12, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Charlotte Hornets center Nick Richards (left) against Phoenix Suns center Oso Ighodaro at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

With Mitchell Robinson still working off ankle woes, the Knicks have sought to shore up their interior depth. Precious Achiuwa and Jericho Sims picked up the slack on Wednesday night in Philadelphia and the two united for 17 rebounds in a 125-119 overtime victory.

Even so, the Knicks will likely look for Robinson insurance, and that assumes Robinson himself won't be included in a trade: Achiuwa views himself as more of a power forward than a pure center while Sims has struggled to generate a lasting role in the New York rotation since joining the team in 2021.

With Richards gone, there are several lingering options available in the paint discussion: many hungry for interior help have kept an eye on the Portland Trail Blazers' changing of the guard (the expensive Deandre Ayton and oft-injured Robert Williams giving way to Donovan Clingan) while Washington's Jonas Valanciunas remains a popular name in the realm of metropolitan trade fantasies.

Towns has lived up to his advertising and then some, but his latest medical developments cast a pall over an already-dangerous situation. With Richards' fate sealed, one of the Knicks' best contingency options is already off the board.

Make sure you bookmark Knicks on SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more!

• Towns Deals With Bone Chip in Thumb
• Brunson, Knicks Prevail in Philadelphia
• Stewart Designation Highlights Flurry of Liberty Moves
• Pistons Center Shines in Front of Knicks Idol
• Hart, Brunson Assess Knicks at Midway Mark