Knicks Destined For Bigger Lineup After Bogdanovic Trade, Randle Return?
The New York Knicks made one of the most impactful moves of the NBA season leading into Thursday's 3 p.m. trade deadline, as the team Bojan Bogdanović and Alec Burks from the Detroit Pistons.
New York (33-18) has risen to the upper half of the Eastern Conference playoff picture over the past month and adding two talents like Bogdanovic and Burks will only raise its ceiling. Nonetheless, the Knicks have some decisions to make as they prepare to integrate Bogdanovic, Burks, and more into their established starting five.
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When Bogdanovic is ready to make his Knicks debut, he'll likely slide into the power forward spot regularly occupied by Julius Randle, who is out indefinitely with a dislocated shoulder. But New York will have to figure out what happens when both Randle and Anunoby (also out with an elbow injury) are ready to return from their respective ailments.
That could lead the Knicks to consider rolling with a larger lineup, perhaps even placing Bogdanovic in Anunoby's spot even when the latter makes his return. Both stand at 6-7, but Bogdanoivc's better success rate from three (41.5 to 37.9 percent) would give him a bit of an edge in such a debate.
Going with a bigger lineup would be a bit of a bold move in the modern NBA, but the Knicks have used size to their advantage in several areas this season, including the rebounding game, where they rank third despite losing both Randle and Mitchell Robinson to lengthy injury absences.
The Knicks will be back in action on Thursday for a post-deadline showdown against the Dallas Mavericks (7:30 p.m. ET, TNT).
