The New York Knicks are open to making more moves this summer, and it seems they have a very specific type of impact player in mind if they are to make a blockbuster trade in the next few months.
The New York Knicks entered the offseason off of very positive results in the 2022-2023 NBA season. Sure, they didn’t win a championship and end their 50 years streak without a title, but they did make some serious gains. They got back to the playoffs and finally won a series for the first time in a decade.
Related: New York Knicks insider has disappointing news about roster moves this summer
To many NBA observers, they are just a few key moves away from being legitimate title contenders. So far this summer the team has been active in making tweaks to the roster with trading former first-round pick Obi Toppin, retaining bench ace Josh Hart, and signing Donte DiVincenzo being the most notable transactions.
However, New York Knicks fans are hopeful the organization can still make a blockbuster deal for the star player that can be that final ingredient to a championship team. In recent weeks, the organization has been linked to potential trades for Clippers star Paul George and future Hall-of-Famer James Harden. However, both deals seem unlikely and part of the reason may be because neither fits the long-assumed profile of what the Knicks are looking for.
New York Knicks targeting ‘prime aged’ stars in blockbuster trades
While both George and Harden would surely make the team better, they are well removed from the peaks of their careers. That is something New York wants if they are to give up their treasure trove of assets in a major trade.
On Wednesday, The Athletic’s Knicks reporter Fred Katz revealed that “New York has contacted multiple rival front offices this offseason with a similar objective. The Knicks have built packages around their promising young players to target prime-aged veterans they believe would help the current roster.”
This means if the New York Knicks are to finally make a deal for another star, players like Karl-Anthony Towns or Joel Embiid — players with many good years ahead — would be more likely than Harden, George, or even Damian Lillard. Unless it was a team-friendly swap. The team had that chance last summer with Donovan Mitchell but bargained their way out of the running for him.