New York Knicks Receive: G Terry Rozier
Charlotte Hornets Receive: C Mitchell Robinson, F Kevin Knox II, DAL 2021 1st Round Pick (via NYK), DET 2023 2nd Round Pick (via NYK)
Entering the offseason, the Knicks are going to have just six players under contract: Julius Randle ($19.8M), R.J. Barrett ($8.6M), Kevin Knox II ($5.8M), Obi Toppin ($5.1M), Immanuel Quickley ($2.2M) and Mitchell Robinson ($1.8M). Out of these six guys though, the Knicks will likely only be interested in giving up Knox and Robinson.
For Charlotte, Cody Zeller is set to become a free agent in the offseason and as a result, they are going to be looking for some frontcourt options to replace him with. Mitchell Robinson is a young, dynamic and athletic center who can not only score in the paint, but he has shown the ability to be a great shot-blocker.
Pairing him with the young core on the Hornets could definitely be of value, as could adding a young, versatile wing like Kevin Knox. Since his rookie season, where he averaged 12.8 points per game in about 28.8 minutes per game, Knox has seen his production go way down as a result of his minutes being cut in half every season.
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The Knicks were looking to trade the young forward at the trade deadline this year, but they were never able to strike a deal to move the 21-year-old. Including him in this deal to Charlotte not only gives him a chance to prove himself with a new team, but it gives the Knicks a great point guard in Rozier.
The Knicks are a couple pieces away from being real threats in the league and by adding Terry Rozier, they get a dynamic, scoring machine at the guard position that would complement Randle and Barrett quite nicely. By giving up some draft picks and two young talents, the Knicks could get a primary ball-handler that could definitely elevate them to new heights offensively.
Now, let’s take a look at if this trade truly makes sense for both the Knicks and the Hornets and if this is something that both teams should look to pursue in the offseason.
