Knicks set for playoff push despite lack of transaction deadlines

Leon Rose has chosen not to disrupt the team’s chemistry at the deal deadline, although New York’s roster is not necessarily set in stone as they are expected to be players in the buyout market. But two things are certain: There’s a unity between the head coach and the front office, and these Knicks are set to make a playoff push.

The only move the Knicks made on deadline day was to trade Austin Rivers and Ignas Brazdeikis for what amounted to a second-round draft pick from Philadelphia. Rivers had been ruled out of the rotation since the Knicks traded for Derrick Rose, so dismissing him was useful for all games. Notably, the Knicks haven’t traded for Lonzo Ball or Victor Oladipo, although it’s entirely possible they could have crafted a pretty attractive package.

The deadline for discussions allowed us to better understand the working relationship between Tom Thibodeau and Léon Rose. In short: promisingly, it looks like it could be similar to the relationship between Gregg Popovich and RC Buford. These two have been the mainstays of Spurs since the 1990s. A little longer: Rose wasn’t going to make a major move without Thibs signing, and Thibs appears to have been allowed to be as involved as he wanted when he was. it was about discussing potential trades.

The team responded to the lack of a deadline move with perhaps the best win of the season yet, coming back from a sizable deficit to beat the Washington Wizards last week despite nights overall out of Julius Randle. and RJ Barrett. Heading into Monday night’s game against the Miami Heat, the Knicks are currently 24-22, good for fourth in the Eastern Conference. (half a game ahead of Charlotte and Atlanta).

They’re set to make a playoff push, and the current cohesion between Thibs and the front office is encouraging. Let’s describe where the Knicks are at and what looks likely to happen, both this season and in the near future.

They are cautious players in the buyout market

Usually, it’s the Knicks who buy out players in order to allow them to sign with a candidate. Relatively recent examples are Enes Kanter and Amar’e Stoudemire. This year the Knicks were able to trade Rivers instead of buying him back and losing him for nothing, and now they’ve apparently set their sights on the buyout market as a way to potentially improve the roster.

Andre Drummond was the biggest name expected in the buyout market, and the Knicks were reportedly interested, although the front office was reportedly divided over whether or not he would be a smart addition. In the end, everything was moot, since Drummond sign with the Los Angeles Lakers.

Now that Mitchell Robinson has broken his foot, the Knicks could certainly use another great man who can play a few minutes on five. Gorgui Dieng felt like a name to watch as he previously played for Thibs in Minnesota, but the 6’11 ”tall man is apparently in the process of signing at San Antonio.

Now it looks like the Knicks could pick up Norvel Pelle, a 28-year-old 6’10 ”center known for his defense and who would be far less likely to disrupt team chemistry than other potential options like Hassan Whiteside or Demarcus Cousins.

The Front Office continues to observe the stars, but for the future

The Knicks had every opportunity to try to snatch an Oladipo or bullet at the deadline, but instead chose to stick to their guns and not pay too much. Now the team could free up to $ 60 million in salary cap space this offseason, according to SNY’s Ian Begley.

The front office may appear to have just held on to the deadline, but all reports point to Rose and her front office cohorts taking and making calls until the clock hits the deadline. Expect the Knicks to be aggressive this offseason trying to add another major piece, whether it’s Lonzo or someone else.

Maybe that offseason is when the Knicks choose to try and make some sort of godfather offer for a Bradley Beal or a Karl-Anthony Towns. We don’t know, but for months reports have made it clear that the ultimate goal is to compete for a star.

For years, if not decades, we begged the Knicks to patiently pursue a plan, but the idea that New York fans wouldn’t wait for a rebuild persisted. This attitude has resulted in two decades of questionable moves, from Keith Van Horn to Andrea Bargnani. Finally, the front office seems to understand that while it’s important to stay aggressive when trying to level up the roster, it’s also necessary not to make moves just to make moves.

Now let’s make the playoffs to make New York an even more compelling destination once the free agency arrives.