Trades and Transactions 2025 continued x2

[The KnicksFix]

Serious qs
What’s the deal with ppl enamoring JJJ?
He’s a DPOY candidate but he can’t guard the perimeter and gets burnt often
So if you trade Mitch and Mikal to get him, now you lose two guys who can guard the perimeter for one who can’t…
Genuinely interested why people want JJJ

KnicksFix vs KnicksinSix is always confusing

Sometimes I have to double check to see if I indeed posted something or if it was six

[sol537]

KnicksFix vs KnicksinSix is always confusing

Sometimes I have to double check to see if I indeed posted something or if it was six

If it’s a JJJ obsession/slobber post then there’s a 99% chance it was ‘six

[The KnicksFix]

KnicksFix vs KnicksinSix is always confusing

Sometimes I have to double check to see if I indeed posted something or if it was six

If it’s a JJJ obsession/slobber post then there’s a 99% chance it was ‘six

I’m just not trading Mikal man
And Mitch I get it. He’s on an expiring deal, but we can’t forget what Mikal did in that Boston series and that game 6 of the Detroit series

[Fat Kat]

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Do the Knicks still have his rights?

Does this mean coming over for summer league etc, seeing if he can make the Knicks?

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[ctorres]

Sometimes I have to double check to see if I indeed posted something or if it was six

If it’s a JJJ obsession/slobber post then there’s a 99% chance it was ‘six

I’m just not trading Mikal man
And Mitch I get it. He’s on an expiring deal, but we can’t forget what Mikal did in that Boston series and that game 6 of the Detroit series

The value of Mikal's wingspan and him knowing how to use it in clutch moments cannot be overstated

Man I love Mitch, but we got a very hard decision to make on him. If itwasn't for these weird 2nd apron rules, I would say the hell with it and let's have the highest team salary of all time.

Especially if you have guys like Ariel Hukporti and now James Nnaji. If we are unable to develop them into Mitch clones, then our player development department is not doing its job.

If we move Mitch, his Knicks legacy should hold up. He was on three Knicks teams that made it to the Semis, and one to the ECF. I think he surpasses the Knicks legacies of both Marcus Camby and Tyson Chandler as a legitimate difference making defensive center when it mattered most. Mitch should be very high on the all-time Knicks centers lists.

[dukeknicksirish]

In the worlds smallest sample size, Huk and KAT pairing in the Toronto game at Canada looked really good together

[R-DAWG]

Do the Knicks still have his rights?

Does this mean coming over for summer league etc, seeing if he can make the Knicks?

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The Knicks would save about 750k if they had Nanji on the roster instead of Hukporti. Not a huge number but with the Knicks operating so close to the apron it can and a difference in the buyout market.

I can see the Knicks rounding out the roster with 2 minimums, Nanji and their 2nd rd pick - keeping both Nanji and the 2RP on 2 ways the the first 15 days of the season and letting Huk go to get to somewhere around 1.5mm below the 2nd apron after using the taxpayer MLE.

Roster would have 8 real contracts - Brunson, KAT, OG, Mikal, Hart, Mitch, McBride, Taxpayer MLE
Last years rookies - Pacome/Kolek
2 vet minimums
2 2nd rd picks

[KnixinSix]

Serious qs
What’s the deal with ppl enamoring JJJ?
He’s a DPOY candidate but he can’t guard the perimeter and gets burnt often
So if you trade Mitch and Mikal to get him, now you lose two guys who can guard the perimeter for one who can’t…
Genuinely interested why people want JJJ

Actually one of his strengths is his defensive versatility either at rim OR on perimeter.

I dont know where you formed that opinion that he cant guard the perimeter bc it is contrary to what almost everybody says about his game.

Also one of the things most lost on folks it seems is the business side of all this and the risk factors. They are commonly ignored yet they play a huge role in decision making of who to keep or trade for a franchise.

But if you were Joshin' I kinda missed it

True. Admittedly, I didn’t watch a ton of Memphis games. Whenever I see him play I feel as though he hovers around the paint. But say we trade Mikal for him, straight up, we are now losing a wing defender but adding a big who can paint protect. Wouldn’t we now have a hole at the wing? Unless we elevate deuce

JJJ is the more unique talent. AND he is a more reliable elite defensive big to counterbalance KAT.

Your MLE, Duece and OG can kind of cover for the loss of Mikal. Your net is still a big positive if you make that trade off.

[KnixinSix]

KnicksFix vs KnicksinSix is always confusing

Sometimes I have to double check to see if I indeed posted something or if it was six

If it’s a JJJ obsession/slobber post then there’s a 99% chance it was ‘six

If you are commiting to KAT he is literally the perfect player to pair him with. Kessler is not too bad in the 2nd tier options. Poetl as well.

If Mitch wasn't a practical garantee to miss half the season or on the end of his contract, it wouldn't be nearly as big a need.

[WaltFrazier]

Do the Knicks still have his rights?

Does this mean coming over for summer league etc, seeing if he can make the Knicks?

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Between this guy and Huk, Mitch could be tradeable/ expendable. Too soon to say that I know.

Summer league should be exciting with the two bigs, Kolek, Dadiet and McCullar

[The KnicksFix]

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Between this guy and Huk, Mitch could be tradeable/ expendable. Too soon to say that I know.

Summer league should be exciting with the two bigs, Kolek, Dadiet and McCullar

Def want to see the progression of kolek pac and huk
Can’t wait man

[sol537]

Ya’ll want to toss Mitch aside when he was damn near our most impactful player (or top 2) in the playoffs this year.

No… I want to extend him at $12m per now that we have a solid training staff to keep him healthier.

[WaltFrazier]

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Between this guy and Huk, Mitch could be tradeable/ expendable. Too soon to say that I know.

Summer league should be exciting with the two bigs, Kolek, Dadiet and McCullar

Def want to see the progression of kolek pac and huk
Can’t wait man

This reminds me, has the team named a SL coach yet? Probably a member of the new staff assuming we have a coach by then. I recall when Nick Nurse was named Raptors head coach the summer of 2018 he decided to coach the SL team himself.

[KnixinSix]

Ya’ll want to toss Mitch aside when he was damn near our most impactful player (or top 2) in the playoffs this year.

No… I want to extend him at $12m per now that we have a solid training staff to keep him healthier.

I love Mitch ....but the reality is he is super fragile. The sample size is just too big too ignore no matter how good your medical staff is Sol

[ctorres]

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[thebuzzardman]

Pacers about to win the championship and we’re in here discussing 4th string centers. **** my life. Time to consider quitting watching the NBA

[Kampuchea]

With the emergence of Nnaji that makes Mitch expendable in a trade. Leon has done it again.

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[ZeroStatic2]

The knicks front office still holding tight on trying to get Jason Kidd and ultimately Giannis here. Which means if they are going to trade for Giannis then they must try to acquire multiple picks to give to the Bucks.

Also, with all the reports in regards to kevin Durant and what the suns want I wouldn't be surprised if the knicks got involved in that deal where the suns get what they want, Durant ends up with the knicks and the knicks player(s) get traded to the 3rd team.

[stuporman]

Every summer some random summer league player makes Mitch expendable before they even play a real NBA regular season minute.

Then Mitch dominates as the Knicks win a playoff series(Cleveland), then another random summer league player makes Mitch expendable without playing a single real NBA regular season minute. Then Mitch is the reason they win a playoff series(Sixers), then another summer some random summer leaguer makes Mitch expendable. Then again Mitch arguably is the MVP of a playoff series win(Celtics), which brings us to again another summer where a random summer league player makes Mitch expendable not even playing a single regular season minute.

It's like effing groundhog's day on this forum...

In the Thibs era the Knicks have had 4 playoff series wins and 3 of them can be directly tied to Mitch's impact that without him the team probably doesn't win it. There's even an argument that the 4th win doesn't happen without him in a physical series that he's one of the few physical presences on the Knicks roster...which according to some every summer they think can be replaced by some random summer league player yet the past times that other guy still isn't in any team's regular rotation let alone helping them win a playoff series.

Sure, we believe it this time...

[KnixinSix]

Every summer some random summer league player makes Mitch expendable before they even play a real NBA regular season minute.

Then Mitch dominates as the Knicks win a playoff series(Cleveland), then another random summer league player makes Mitch expendable without playing a single real NBA regular season minute. Then Mitch is the reason they win a playoff series(Sixers), then another summer some random summer leaguer makes Mitch expendable. Then again Mitch arguably is the MVP of a playoff series win(Celtics), which brings us to again another summer where a random summer league player makes Mitch expendable not even playing a single regular season minute.

It's like effing groundhog's day on this forum...

In the Thibs era the Knicks have had 4 playoff series wins and 3 of them can be directly tied to Mitch's impact that without him the team probably doesn't win it. There's even an argument that the 4th win doesn't happen without him in a physical series that he's one of the few physical presences on the Knicks roster...which according to some every summer they think can be replaced by some random summer league player yet the past times that other guy still isn't in any team's regular rotation let alone helping them win a playoff series.

Sure, we believe it this time...

Mitch when you are looking strictly at his talent and fit for this roster in a vacuum he is absolutely NOT expendable. I was preaching patience all last year that when he returns that will be the time to see just how good this team can be. With Thibs still not maximizing this team BUT now having Mitch , we were able to beat the Pistons and Celts and put up a pretty good fight vs the Pacers (who just took the Thunder to 7 games). Mitch is a stud defensive big there is no question about that.

The issue becomes when making decisions on who to keep and trade for a GM/F.O. it can never simply be on talent alone.

The issue(s) we face with Mitch is:

1. He is on last year of contract
2. The sample size is most definitely significant enough to see that he rarely plays more than half a season (we have no choice but the put him in not just the high but the very high/extreme medical risk category)
3. Extending him puts us likely in the 2nd apron (depending on other moves).
4. He is not CAA which makes the negotiations slightly more difficult (just follow the patterns).


When weighing all the variables on Mikal.....

The positives:

1. He is an iron man
2. His mid range is very complementary to the rest of the team
3. His body of work shows that last year was likely more misutilization by the coach rather than some sudden diminishment of his talent
4. With #3 in mind his defense when better utilized is excellent sometimes elite.

The negatives:

1. Speaking out publicly against the coach/organization/etc. (in his case the coach) is a big 'no/no' for this front office. Players have been traded for less when they cross the line especially for a front office that is very tight lipped and tries very hard to keep things in house.
2. He is on the last year of his contract and extending him possibly puts us over 2nd apron.
3. He is not CAA
4. His value for another team could be higher than his value for us and/or what he gets back could be a better fitting piece for current roster construction


Now while one may not agree with every single nuance or extent of the positive or negatives above I believe any reasonable fan can recognize that some fairly close range of the above is not necessarily too far off.

While there are ENOUGH positives to keep Mikal depending on how the front office views the above things listed and where I can absolutely see a world of keeping him (with a small chance maybe OG gets traded , or we keep both) I struggle a bit more with Mitch because I think he is just too much risk to extend. I could also see a world of keeping him too depending on what we could get back but the injury risk is just too high and likely why we also wanted to trade him more than Donte last year.