New York Knicks: Making a case for 3 rumored NBA trade deadline targets
By Dalton Sell
First rumored trade target for the New York Knicks: Andre Drummond, Cleveland Cavaliers
The New York Knicks could be in the market for a center before the March 25th trade deadline after starting big man Mitchell Robinson underwent surgery to repair a broken hand recently. Among the centers linked to the Knicks in trade rumors to fill the void, big man Andre Drummond appears to be the most prominent candidate.
The New York Post’s Marc Berman recently reported that the Knicks are “analyzing” their situation and whether it calls for a possible move for Drummond to be made. The Knicks have been playing great basketball this season, and they should be surveying the market for another big man to help fill the void left behind by Robinson’s injury.
This team is all-in on making the playoffs, and with their starting center now sidelined indefinitely, their connections to Drummond make sense.
The big man has not suited up for the Cleveland Cavaliers since February 12th, as the team has made it clear that they will trade him. Drummond is having another productive season, averaging 17.5 points and 13.5 rebounds in 25 games this season.
Still, no team has taken the bait for Drummond quite yet, and his sizeable $28.8 million salary this season is largely to blame. Most teams cannot afford to take on such a hefty contract, even if it expires after the season. However, the Knicks are one of the teams that have the necessary cap space and assets to get a deal done if they desired.
As evidenced by their trade for Derrick Rose, who is also on an expiring deal, the Knicks are not afraid to push all their chips to the middle of the table to improve right now. That could potentially make them more inclined to make a deal to bring home the New York native and help boost their playoff chances.
If the Knicks can get Drummond for the low as he waits to be traded on Cleveland’s bench, then they should make an offer. With their center position compromised due to Robinson’s injury, bringing in a former two-time All-Star could potentially be a quick fix.