With the season over, comes the tough part for Leon Rose as he must decide how many of the Knicks’ attractive assemblage of trade assets in the form of a few up-and-coming young players — Immanuel Quickley, Quentin Grimes, and even Mitchell Robinson — and 10 first-round picks versus next seven years he would be willing to part with if a star were available in league MVP and former customer Joel Embiid.
Another All-Star big man, Timberwolves center/forward Karl-Anthony Towns — also a former client of Rose at CAA — appears to be near the top of the trade market after another early Minnesota playoff exit.
On a smaller scale, it also wouldn’t be surprising to see Rose re-engage in negotiations for someone like OG Anunoby, Toronto’s two-way wing.
Overshadowing any move is the need to decide whether Julius Randle — who followed up with a regular season All-NBA designation for the second time in three years with a poor playoff showing — is still a building block or whether to find a buyer for the three years remaining and $82.7 million on his contract give them a better shot at championship contention with a title drought from 1973 now at a half century.