Knicks Trade Rumors 2010

The February 18 NBA trade deadline is approaching and Knicks president Donnie Walsh doesn’t plan on making a move unless he is sure it will help his club.

The New York Post says that Walsh “secretly admits” his acquisitions of Larry Hughes and Chris Wilcox last season “backfired”. Walsh doesn’t think it is urgent the Knicks acquire somebody.

“I wouldn’t think I have to make a move,” Walsh told the Post. “It isn’t like I woke up and [said], ‘Oh my god, I have to do something now.’”

If Walsh does make a move, it will be for a player with an expiring contract. Walsh will not acquire a player with a contract that extends beyond this season. He wants as much cap flexibility as possible for the summer’s free agent class.

One player Walsh would take that has a contract that extends past this season is point guard Ricky Rubio of the Timberwolves. The Knicks were high on him during last year’s draft and they are still interested in him. It wouldn’t be a problem acquiring Rubio and his contract because they would probably send a contract like Jordan Hill or Toney Douglas’ to Minnesota in exchange. As Minnesota’s GM David Kahn points out, a deal is highly unlikely.

“There is just no way,” Kahn told the New York Post. “From the moment we talked, I said to him [Donnie Walsh]– and I mean no disrespect to the Knicks or Donnie — what kind of trade can they possibly propose?”

Nobody on the Knicks roster would be sufficient enough to get a deal done for the 19-year old Spaniard. 

Where do the Knicks turn to for help who fits the bill of having an expiring contract and also making the team better? 

Not Suns forward and former player under Mike D’Antoni, Amare Stoudemire. The NY Daily News makes it clear that the Knicks will not trade for Stoudemire. Not only do the Knicks not have the assets to get the trade done, but he doesn’t fill their immediate need of a guard. I proposed that the Knicks should go after Stoudemire if they disregard trying to be a complete team this year (play without a proven point guard), trade for Stoudemire, sign him to an extension, and still have enough money to sign another player to a max contract over the summer. My idea is unlikely to happen because in order to have the cap space for Amare and another player like LeBron James or Dwayne Wade, who are going to get max contracts, the Knicks would need to trade the contracts of a few players (Jared Jeffries, Eddy Curry, plus probably either Jordan Hill or Toney Douglas) and it will be near impossible to do so. Lack of assets is a major reason why the Knicks can’t get Stoudemire. Walsh doesn’t seem to be interested anyway.

Tyrus Thomas is a name that has come up recently. He was injured early in the year and lost his starting job in Chicago. His contract is up after this season. He, like Stoudemire, wouldn’t fill an immediate hole, but he would be easier to acquire. The Bulls want cap relief and the Knicks could give them some expiring contracts in return. 

Tracy Mcgrady may be the Knicks best option. The Knicks can deal expiring contracts to the Rockets for McGrady, but it’s uncertain what kind of impact McGrady can have. If healthy, it will take him some time to get back into the swing of things, but he should be able to return to form eventually. By the time he does, however, it may be too late.

The Knicks are rumored to have interest in Bobcats’ guard Acie Law. The Bobcats are looking to trade Law and the Knicks and Pacers are two teams that have come up. Law’s contract expires after this season.