Recent New York Knicks rumors involve Detroit Pistons center Andre Drummond, as the team reportedly isn’t targeting him in a trade.
With the NBA trade deadline quickly approaching on Feb. 6, New York Knicks rumors will really start picking up. With the team now 21 games under .500 after Saturday’s loss to the Philadelphia 76ers, the playoffs are unlikely. As a result, the team should be sellers at the deadline.
New York’s plan this offseason was clear. They added veterans they had hoped would help develop the young kids and keep the team competitive. Things have not worked out that way yet, as a lot of the youngsters have been blocked from playing time by the veterans and there hasn’t been much winning.
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As a result, the team should look into trading some of the veterans for future assets, such as draft picks. Or, if teams are looking to unload salary, New York could help by taking back some of that salary as long as there is draft pick compensation.
Bobby Portis, Marcus Morris and Elfrid Payton are some names to keep an eye on. Reggie Bullock and Wayne Ellington, despite facing injuries this season, could also be players that contending teams target given their 3-point shooting prowess.
Given the current state of the team, any reports that the team could be buyers at the deadline were shocking, to say the least. However, this is the Knicks we are talking about, so anything was possible. Then, Andre Drummond rumors began popping up and people really scratched their head.
It was reported last week that the Knicks had checked in with the Detroit Pistons about their big man.
Are the Knicks seriously pursuing Andre Drummond? Our own @IanBegley has more on the team inquiring about the Pistons' center pic.twitter.com/picu3MLw2h
— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) January 11, 2020
In the most basic of terms, it makes sense. Teams need to explore every avenue possible to improve the team. Any team would like a 26-year-old averaging near career-highs across the board with 17.3 points, 15.7 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 2.0 steals and 1.8 blocks per game.
Thankfully, common sense seems to have taken over the Knicks’ front office. While the Pistons did approach the team about a potential Drummond swap, Marc Berman of the New York Post shared that the Knicks have no interest in a trade.
That is one of the best decisions that the front office has made in a while. With them seemingly working for their jobs, it would not have been surprising if they swung a trade for a player who could help them win meaningless games the remainder of the season. However, logic seems to have won out.
For starters, there is no guarantee that Drummond will be with whichever team trades for him beyond this season. He is planning to opt-out of his contract worth $28 million following this season and become a free agent this upcoming summer.
Trading assets and then having to hand out a long-term deal just doesn’t make sense for a rebuilding team. It makes even less sense when one of those assets already on the team is a developing young center in Mitchell Robinson.
While Robinson doesn’t possess the offensive repertoire of Drummond, he is oozing with potential and is already a game-changer defensively. Robinson is someone the team should be developing, not blocking as they have done with Allonzo Trier, Damyean Dotson and Kevin Knox.
Targeting Drummond in free agency is one thing. If the team wishes to use their cap space on him, so be it. It probably isn’t an ideal signing, but if they believe he can help take the team to the next level alongside R.J. Barrett, they will look into it. But, they cannot use assets, such as future draft picks, to trade for him, given the uncertainty of his future.