The New York Knicks have done an excellent job during the offseason, firmly putting themselves in a great position to not only be the favorites in the Eastern Conference entering next season, but possibly even the runaway favorites.
The Knicks are a great team on paper, with much more depth than they had a year ago. There were some problems for the Knicks outside of depth, but if there was one thing to pinpoint after last season's loss in the Eastern Conference Finals, it was the lack of good players on the bench at times.
Some still believe the Knicks need to fix that, including Ethen Hutton of Sports Illustrated. He thinks that the Knicks could save a few dollars and add other depth pieces by moving on from Josh Hart in a deal with the Denver Nuggets.
Could Knicks trade Josh Hart?
New York Knicks receive: Christian Braun, Zeke Nnaji, Peyton Watson, 2031 first-round pick
Denver Nuggets receive: Josh Hart
“Not only do the Knicks add a cheaper starter to its starting lineup, who offers greater efficiency from the backcourt, despite lesser rebounding ability, but they also add two pieces to the bench. New York also receives a first-rounder for its loss of Hart, a very competitive package for a key contributor.
“The Knicks manage to shave a few bucks off the books, add three young players who they can move on from as soon as next offseason, and are entering the 2025-26 season in a great spot with a new-look rotation featuring far greater depth,” he wrote.
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While this deal could be enticing because the Knicks would get back Christian Braun, Peyton Watson, and a 2031 first-round pick, Hart does a lot of little things for New York that can't go unnoticed.
Some fans have been upset with his lack of an offensive game, but the reality is that the Knicks need players who can do the dirty work.
Hart has continued to prove that he can, so he shouldn't be traded.