New York Knicks: 3 players to target in potential salary dumps

The New York Knicks have more than $60 million to work with in the offseason. Now they have the option to be creative with salary-dump trades.

Timofey Mozgov was one of the many players lucky enough to be a free agent in 2016. The Los Angeles Lakers were somehow able to keep a straight face when they offered him a four-year, $64 million contract. But a lot of players signed outrageous contracts four years ago. What makes Mozgov different is how often he was traded. Or more accurately, how often his salary was dumped.

Despite a seemingly untradable contract, Mozgov was dealt on three separate occasions. The Brooklyn Nets agreed to take him on so they could finally move on from Brook Lopez and hand the franchise over to bonafide snitch D’Angelo Russell. We know that deal worked out well for the Nets.

Next, Brooklyn sent Mozgov to a Charlotte Hornets team that was desperate to get Dwight Howard the hell out of there. The jury is still out on this one for the Hornets. They traded the draft rights to Hamidou Diallo — who they acquired in the Mozgov trade — for a pick that they used on Jalen McDaniels. McDaniels looked promising in his rookie season.

Finally, Mozgov was dumped onto the Orlando Magic in a three-team deal involving Jerian Grant. The Magic hoped for help at point guard from Grant, but it never came. Not all salary dumps are winners. That’s important to note because the Knicks may be getting into the risky salary dump game.

Isiah Thomas was in charge the last time the New York Knicks took on a bad contract for assets in return, and unlike many other things Thomas did, this deal worked out. New York took on Malik Rose’s deal and ended up with the pick that turned into David Lee (via Pod Strickland). They’re long overdue to try again.

According to a recent report from SNY’s Ian Begley, New York is willing to take on undesirable contracts in order to acquire an asset. The Knicks can create more than $60 million in cap space this offseason to absorb one of those contracts.

It’s a shame New York wasn’t interested in this strategy last summer because it would’ve been an easier route then. Begley cites Andre Igoudala and Moe Harkless as examples. This unique offseason is highlighted by a weak draft and underwhelming free agency. Most teams are wisely saving up their assets for 2021.

The buyout market isn’t very strong, as The Strickland’s Jeremy Cohen details here. But the Knicks still have some players they can pursue. These are three options for Leon Rose and his team to pursue in a salary dump trade.