The New York Knicks are a great team, but they still have areas they can improve. Their bench, in particular, has been the least productive in the NBA due to injuries and trades of key depth pieces in the offseason.
As a result, it’s likely that New York will look to upgrade their second unit to fill out their roster and compete for an NBA championship. Michael Saenz of Fansided offered a mock trade where the Knicks would part ways with big man Mitchell Robinson in exchange for two young bench players:
Knicks Get: Tre Jones, Malaki Branham
Spurs Get: Mitchell Robinson, Tyler Kolek, protected 2025 first-round pick (via DET)
The deal would strip the Knicks of Robinson’s contract while bringing in two cheaper players who can contribute right away. Robinson is a prolific big man on defense, but he’s struggled to stay on the floor, and is currently out as he continues to recover from offseason ankle surgery.
“Jones would give the Knicks another reliable guard in the backcourt, and Branham has proven to be a quality off-ball shooter. If he can bring that to the Knicks, he could emerge as a key part of their struggling bench. The big question is whether this move would move the needle enough for the Knicks,” Saenz wrote.