Knicks Receive Underwhelming Trade Deadline Prediction

When operating at full strength, this New York can hang with any team in the league. However, rumors have swirled around the team about moves they could look to make ahead of the NBA trade deadline on Feb. 5.

There have been links to Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks, but a trade of that magnitude in-season seems unrealistic. Messing with the chemistry of this group doesn’t seem to be something the front office is considering.

Not wanting to include a core member of their rotation in a trade at this point, it should come as no surprise that the Knicks have been predicted to have a quiet NBA trade deadline by Andy Bailey of Bleacher Report.

In a recent piece, he made a bold prediction for what each team would do ahead of the Feb. 5 deadline. For New York, he has predicted they will stand pat, not making a move.

Knicks don't have pieces to swing major trade

It is hard to argue against such a prediction based on the current circumstances. The Knicks don’t have a lot of wiggle room under the second apron because they are hard-capped after signing Guerschon Yabusele in free agency.

His addition has not provided the team with the impact they were hoping for, which has led to him being mentioned in trade rumors. Alas, Yabusele alone isn’t going to field them much in return, which could be why Pacome Dadiet has been mentioned as a player being shopped, too.

Both players are on the fringe of the team’s rotation or out of it altogether, so it could require draft picks being attached to them to get a deal done. That is likely the most that the Knicks will or can do ahead of the deadline. And even the value of that is out of their hands.

Parting ways with someone such as Kolek or Miles McBride would certainly bring back a stronger return, but losing either of those players would be a massive blow and likely set the team back more than push it forward.