Knicks Insider Hypes Up Trade Rumors

The New York Knicks' next expected move, by nearly all accounts, is going to be their final free agency signing. After handling their business in early July in nabbing several of the league's more desirable bench hands, they look to round out their new rotational pieces with one more signee.

Ben Simmons has been one of the most discussed available free agents over the last month. He'd be an intriguing add to this Knicks roster as a defensive-inclined, pass-first forward who cna play multiple positions as an end-of-the-bench utility man, but he's more or less sabotaged his own case for rejoining a contending situation.

While the Knicks have been as active as anyone in the Simmons sweepstakes, he's being sure to take his time while determining his next destination, carefully parsing through his list of suitors. The Knicks, far from married to the theoretical version of the current-day, role-playing Simmons, have continued scouting the field for alternatives, but have reportedly maintained some hope on clinching the deal.

Ian Begley, a Knicks insider at SNY, talked extensively about Landry Shamet as the likeliest free agent to scoop up the team's final veteran's minimum contract on "The Putback," but was also sure to keep the Simmons rumors alive.

"I would not rule out the idea that the Knicks want to bring in another veteran in addition to a Shamet, and the only way to do that is to make a trade," he said.

"For them, you can't do it any other way, you have to open up a spot if you wanted to bring in another veteran's minimum. We've reported about Ben Simmons, there's still interest there, but in order to bring in a Simmons or anybody else...you would haver to trade somebody who has a guaranteed, standard NBA deal to open something up.

Trade talks haven't been a major subject of the Knicks' offseason since they committed to locking down their core, most recently tagging Mikal Bridges with a long-term extension following a rocky regular season and several speculative summer months of trade rumors. The kind of swap Begley's "vaguely keeping an eye on" wouldn't net the Knicks a specific player in return, but available cap room.

"Tn less money, and that's where you start talking about where are they at on a guy like Pacôme Dadiet," NBA analyst Keith Smith added. "Are they gonna continue to develop him, or do they feel, 'Hey, we're not really in a position to think about development, we would rather push forward and add one more veteran to the bench? Is it better for us to have Ben Simmons on our bench than Pacôme Dadiet developing through whatever minutes he gets in the NBA and the G League?"

That's the sort of line the Knicks will have to walk, as none of their enticing prospects looking like they can currently hang with the veteran-laden rotation. Assuming the cost is right and the Knicks wouldn't have to part ways with a favorite former first-round pick of theirs, adding Simmons and Shamet together would make for a strong finish to free agency,