Knicks front office ‘promised’ James Dolan a star acquisition

The short answer? Yes. There will always be flexibility when it comes to moving parts and allowing big-market squads like the Knicks to draw in big names. They used to be linked to Kevin Durant and Donovan Mitchell before both of them decided to go a different route. Why is this front office squad so eager to land a huge talent? They already work under well Tom Thibodeau. Moreover, Jalen Brunson is already looking fine with a healthy team. It may sound like they are trying to fulfill a promise to James Dolan, via Howard Beck of The Ringer.

“One thing has not changed, however. The Knicks now, as ever, are in a perpetual hunt for another glitzy star. Dolan, as ever, expects one. ‘That is factual,’ said a source with ties to the Garden. The Rose-Wesley team “promised him stars,’ the source said. ‘He didn’t hire them for their experience running a basketball team.’ Had the Knicks faltered on the court the past two years, You’d have seen the old Knicks that you’ve seen the last 24 years.’ Some heads would have rolled,” the insider wrote.

There are a lot of possibilities for this squad. Especially after a prospective NBA Playoffs run all the way to the Larry O’Brien trophy crashed and burned due to injuries. Another star in the Knicks system might add help around Jalen Brunson. But, do they run the risk of sacrificing depth in talent?

The Knicks’ situation

It’s great and they have assets to trade such that they could make another deep run in the NBA Playoffs. The Knicks’ seven unprotected first-round picks, eight future second-round picks, and four protected first-round picks alone give them some great assets to move around. If they are willing to move Knicks with expiring deals like Bojan Bogdanovic, that flexibility would also likely increase.

Some analysts already posit that they could make a run at Devin Booker, Donovan Mitchell, or Mikal Bridges. All of that would be possible if the Knicks dealt someone with star-caliber talent away too. So, if they really want to shake things up, the front office might just trade away Julius Randle too.

The Knicks have found their core with the Villanova boys led by Jalen Brunson. It’s unlike that they break them apart given how much chemistry they developed under Tom Thibodeau’s system. A person who complements their style of play while also being big enough for James Dolan might just do the job.