New York Knicks: Top 3 trade candidates before 2018 deadline

Kyle O’Quinn, C

Another name mentioned by Berman back in July was Kyle O’Quinn, the Knicks’ third-string center. While not as intriguing of a talent as Lee, he may actually be the more sensible trade target for teams looking to strike a deal with the Knicks.

First off, O’Quinn’s contract isn’t nearly as expensive. He’s set to make $4.1 million in 2017-18, with a $4.3 million player option in 2018-19. It’s typically preferred to aim for expiring deals in trade talks, but just over $4 million is a small price to pay for a capable contributor off the bench.

O’Quinn is also four years younger than Lee, meaning he’s got more potential to be tapped into. Don’t get me wrong — the 2012 second round pick has just about hit his ceiling as an NBA talent. That, however, doesn’t mean that he couldn’t emerge as more of a weapon than he currently is in the right situation.

He wasn’t terrible for the Knicks last season while playing 15.6 minutes per contest. O’Quinn averaged 6.3 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game, all career highs. Even his field goal percentage of 56.1 was the best he’s managed in his five-year NBA career.

Shining on a miserable team like New York comes with its concerns, but he could contribute meaningful minutes elsewhere. Based on what type of deals cross the Knicks’ table, O’Quinn could be thrown in as a quality piece with a manageable cap figure.