Grading the Knicks' 2024 NBA trade deadline
A+. It’s an A+.
Few expected the Knicks to become fringe contenders by this point in the season without trading for a superstar, but the OG Anunoby deal changed that, and they’ve since bolstered their lineup further. At the trade deadline, New York acquired Bojan Bogdanovic and Alec Burks from the Detroit Pistons in exchange for Quentin Grimes, Evan Fournier, Ryan Arcidiacono and two future second-round picks.
Even last season, an identical move would appear nearsighted and foolhardy. Grimes was a prized prospect, an extra piece too many to deal for Donovan Mitchell, whose very insertion into the starting lineup helped turn around their season.
Things have changed since, as Grimes reportedly lost some his coach's trust and seemingly lost confidence in his rotation spot, struggling with the starting lineup and eventually moving to the bench. His production picked up, but after the Knicks moved two essential prospects for Anunoby, it was clear the developmental phase of their rebuild was transitioning into the winning phase.
This combined with the value New York placed on its future first-round picks for use in a star trade, plus Anunoby’s surgery sidelining him for the coming month, meant Grimes was the obvious departure if they wanted to upgrade the roster.
And upgrade it they did. Bogdanovic is averaging 20.2 points on 41.5 percent shooting from three, while Burks puts up 12.6 points on 40.1 percent shooting from three.
From a sheer counting stats perspective, the Knicks just added a bunch more production and reliable shooting. Even at full strength, the rotation felt like it was one 15-20 point scorer away from complete, and between the two incomers, they have that now.
Let’s dive into them individually. Bogdanovic is a nine-year veteran of the league, a career 40 percent three-point shooter, and a seasoned playoff performer.
He can play either forward position at 6-foot-7 and 226 pounds, not to be entrusted with crashing the glass or anchoring a defense, but ready to fire offensively. He’s a willing and capable driver and passer on top of the shooting, but his value is quickly realized when his jumper is hot.
Burks’ game should be plenty familiar to Knicks fans that have watched the team since head coach Tom Thibodeau took the reins. The slithery two-guard is knockdown from deep, can run the pick-and-roll reliably in spurts, and occasionally pops off for 30 as well.
The two have been remarkably efficient carrying the load on a dreadful Pistons team, so they should look even better nestled into supporting roles on a competitive Knicks team. Of course, that’s assuming everybody’s healthy, which won’t be the case in the near term, hence the push to nab multiple rotation pieces.
They’ll be fun to watch among the full lineup. Getting two threatening off-ball options that can cut, connect and shoot next to New York’s stars is the same line of logic that made Donte DiVincenzo and Josh Hart successful pickups.
As a pure value play, one can argue the Knicks broke even or perhaps lost this trade. Grimes is still an intriguing prospect, two second-round picks went out the door, Burks is an unrestricted free agent-to-be, and Bogdanovic clearly couldn’t fetch anything better at this point.
That said, this trade doesn’t exist in a vacuum. Grimes needed a new environment, this Knicks team was at the cusp of contention and just added two veteran weapons to survive their injury wave and make their push in April.
There are on-court drawbacks, as neither is the defender Grimes is when he’s on his game, and the Knicks just got older and slower. Bogdanovic is worse reputationally than in practice though, and their combined shiftiness and IQ will make up for a lot.
New York also didn’t acquire a true ball handler to take the weight off Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle. They’ll have to rely on DiVincenzo and a little bit from each of Miles McBride, Anunoby and Burks.
Still, they accomplished what they had to, in the way they wanted to. Their rotation is significantly stronger at the price of zero future first-round picks, and Bogdanovic’s salary replaces Fournier’s as the cap filler in a potential star trade.
