Knicks Notes: What New York sees in Karl-Anthony Cities, why Donte DiVincenzo was included in commerce
That is New’s Years Day, 2024, OG Anunoby’s first sport as a Knick.
He places up 17 factors, six rebounds, and is a +19 in a win over Minnesota — the right debut.
About 40 minutes after the sport, Tom Thibodeau is strolling by way of the bowels of Madison Sq. Backyard, he sees a well-recognized face, stops and smiles. It’s Karl Cities Sr. The 2 males shake palms, hug and share fun.
Cities Sr. heads to the Backyard exits. Thibodeau makes his option to the house locker room.
They most likely don’t see one another for the remainder of the season, however Cities Sr. and Thibs will cross paths way more typically this yr.
Leon Rose and the Knicks executed their third blockbuster commerce of the final 10 months on Friday, agreeing in precept to accumulate Cities from Minnesota in change for a bundle centered round Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo.
WHY THE KNICKS WANTED TOWNS
The Knicks have lengthy been linked to Cities. Rose was his agent when he was the top of CAA. Cities Sr. attended Rose’s first sport as Knicks president. Rose and New York exec William Wesley are shut buddies of the Cities household.
That they had periodically checked in with Minnesota on Cities, relationship again to at the least final summer season.
However there by no means gave the impression to be a lot traction. As lately as final week, individuals with the Knicks instructed associates that they have been ready to start out the season with Randle and see the way it went.
DiVincenzo was one of many sticking factors. Minnesota coveted him. New York was reluctant to maneuver him, however with the beginning of coaching camp looming, the Knicks lately got here off that stance. This pushed the deal ahead and acquired it throughout the end line.
You knew the Knicks have been all in on competing for a title after they traded for Mikal Bridges three months in the past. The Cities commerce was one other all-in transfer for a staff that may have a sky excessive payroll over the following few seasons.
However New York is clearly bullish on the funding.
In Cities, the Knicks really feel like they discovered a participant who enhances the remainder of their core (Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby, Josh Hart) extraordinarily properly. Cities is one of the best perimeter-shooting huge man within the NBA. He forces defenses to drag a defender out of the paint, thereby spreading the ground for his teammates.
His presence ought to open up the lane for Brunson to assault and create benefits for New York. He may also play within the publish and draw a double staff there. Cities’ presence will make it tough for groups to entice Brunson and change on pick-and-rolls.
Certain, there are questions in regards to the Knick inside protection within the wake of the commerce.
The underside line is that this: with Mitchell Robinson out, the Knicks had an apparent want at middle. By touchdown a four-time All Star and two-time All NBA participant in Cities, they really feel like they executed on a terrific alternative to fill the necessity. And with their core all beneath the age of 30, the Knicks additionally really feel Cities’ addition offers them a robust alternative to compete for a number of years down the road.
Are these emotions appropriate? We’ll discover out over the following three years or so.
WHO ELSE IS IN THE TRADE?
The main points of the commerce have been nonetheless being labored out late Friday evening, however Charlotte is predicted to affix the deal to assist facilitate.
This is how issues are shaping out: The Knicks will ship out DaQuan Jeffries as a part of the deal. To assist fulfill league commerce guidelines, they may sign-and-trade Jeffries to a deal that begins at roughly $3 million.
New York can even ship out Keita Bates-Diop within the commerce. They’ll make the mathematics work by including Charlie Brown and Duane Washington Jr. in sign-and-trades, as Yossi Gozlan notes.
Moreover, the Knicks will ship Minnesota a protected first-round choose (acquired from to Detroit) and the Hornets can even obtain draft compensation for his or her assist in facilitating the deal.
Commerce talks have been first reported by The Athletic. The Athletic and ESPN first reported a number of commerce particulars.
WHY DONTE?
As famous above, the Knicks had lengthy been against together with DiVincenzo within the commerce. I don’t know precisely why they modified their considering.
DiVincenzo set the franchise single-season file for made three-pointers final season. He knocked down one of many greatest threes within the final 20 years in that thrilling Sport Two win over Philadelphia.
However with the strikes made this offseason, DiVincenzo was most likely going to be coming off the bench this season. Bridges would probably have taken his spot within the beginning lineup.
I can say confidently that DiVincenzo didn’t precisely love the thought of taking part in fewer minutes/a lowered position this season. He was coming off of a profession yr and helped the staff win a ton of video games when it was shorthanded.
I don’t suppose any competitor could be thrilled with the thought of taking lowered position on this state of affairs.
That is only a guess, however I don’t suppose the difficulty described above performed a big position – if any in any respect – within the Knicks’ choice to maneuver DiVincenzo. They have been towards shifting him for a lot of the offseason.
Perhaps the deadline of coaching camp mixed with Randle’s looming contract state of affairs and the size of Robinson’s absence made the Knicks extra motivated to finish the commerce.
