Caris LeVert of the Brooklyn Nets was named as a player the New York Knicks should be targeting in a trade.
The New York Knicks are currently in asset accumulation mode. With no chance to contend for a title this season, or in the near future, the Knicks are best suited adding young players to try and develop a youthful core to build the foundation of the organization going forward.
This offseason, that has been the goal and they’ve stuck to it. Kevin Knox and Mitchell Robinson were selected in the 2018 NBA Draft, and both players were standouts in NBA Summer League.
Mario Hezonja and Noah Vonleh were signed to one-year, “prove-it” deals in free agency. Both are former lottery picks. Hezonja was selected fifth overall by the Orlando Magic in the 2015 NBA Draft, one spot after Kristaps Porzingis. Vonleh was the ninth overall selection by the Charlotte Hornets in 2014.
Those two join an extensive list of lottery picks the Knicks have accumulated in recent seasons. Frank Ntilikina, Emmanuel Mudiay, Trey Burke, Enes Kanter and Joakim Noah were all lottery picks at one time. Ntilikina is looked at as a core piece of New York’s foundation, and the organization hopes Mudiay or Burke can push their way into that conversation as well.
While the Knicks have some intriguing talent, there is a glaring need on the roster. They do not have a true wing player to develop. It is an issue that was touched on earlier this offseason.
Ntilikina, if the point guard experiment is given up on, could fill that role, but none of the other young players truly fit that profile.
Knox could be that player, but at this stage, is more a scoring forward that should eventually play power forward. Hezonja has potential, but he has not yet developed as hoped. Head coach David Fizdale has talked up Lance Thomas, but at 30 years old, he is not a part of the Knicks’ long-term future.
Tim Hardaway Jr. signed a lucrative contract to return to the Knicks during the 2017 offseason, but regressed once again. He fits New York’s timeline, but has yet to show that kind of play on the court.
Probably the best fit for this combo-wing role is Courtney Lee. Unfortunately, he fits the Knicks’ timeline less than Thomas does. Lee is also the Knicks’ best trade chip. It would not be surprising to see him in a different uniform come training camp.
Bleacher Report has found a solution to this issue, examining one player that each team in the NBA should be targeting via trade in a recent article.
The goals of every team differ. Some are aiming for salary cap flexibility. Others are looking to land that superstar to push them to the next level. For the Knicks, it is about landing another high-upside player, this time in the form of playmaking wing.
The player that the Knicks should be targeting, according to Bleacher Report, is Caris LeVert of the Brooklyn Nets.
LeVert would be an excellent addition for the Knicks. He fell in the 2016 NBA Draft because of an injury suffered at Michigan, but his addition would fill a number of needs for the team.
For starters, he fits their timeline, as he will turn 24 years old this week. Being another year removed from his injury, LeVert showed real progress during the 2017-18 season. His statistics improved across the board, but what the Knicks would really like is his improved playmaking.
Given his skill-set, LeVert is a player that could fill a number of roles for New York. His versatility would be key in Fizdale’s lineups. The new head coach has spoken about using some big lineups this upcoming season.
LeVert, who stands 6’7″, would give Fizdale an oversized point guard to deploy in this big lineup. He has shown an ability to run an offense, but most importantly, the Knicks wouldn’t be losing anything defensively with him on the court. He can switch between 1-3 defensively given his size and athleticism.
Unfortunately for the Knicks, all the reasons that LeVert would be an excellent addition to their team are why he is a great fit for the Nets. Landing him should be considered a pipe dream at this point.
LeVert is entrenched as one of the building blocks in Brooklyn’s own rebuild. Prying him away from Brooklyn would prove to be costly and highly unlikely. While the Knicks are unlikely to land LeVert in a trade, that is the type of player they need to be looking to acquire.
Right now, they have foundational pieces at every other spot except small forward. Finding that long-term wing option should be atop the Knicks’ to-do list throughout the season and into next offseason.