NBA Trade Rumors: 6 teams that should be calling the Bulls about Thad Young

6. New York Knicks

Perhaps no team symbolizes the hysteria of this season more than the New York Knicks, who sport a winning record and the No. 4 seed in the East midway through the season. The hiring of Tom Thibodeau, combined with an All-Star season from Julius Randle and the most balanced roster in recent Knicks’ history, has the franchise in a great spot.

How is New York doing it? Exactly how you’d expect a Thibs-led team to do it: defense. Knicks’ opponents have the lowest 3-point percentage (32.5), lowest effective field goal percentage (50.2), and the eighth-lowest free throw rate (.209 FTA per field goal attempt) in the league, giving New York the second-best defense in basketball so far. There is some luck involved with the shooting, but that’s the case for almost every team in this hectic of a season.

This is a rare glimmer in a mostly dark era of Knicks basketball. Not only have they not gotten an invite to the playoff party since 2013, but the following year was the last time they even had a win percentage above .400. Playoff basketball could be back at Madison Square Garden; the Knicks almost can’t afford to pass this opportunity up.

New York was mentioned in the Sun-Times article as a potential buyer for Young, which makes sense even with its crowded frontcourt. Young can slide right into the rotation as the backup 4 (over Taj Gibson) and emergency 5.

The Knicks are already in buyer’s mode, as evidenced by their trade for Derrick Rose a few weeks ago. They also have several expiring contracts they can aggregate to match Young’s $13.5 million salary, should they be content with taking on his cap hit for 2021-22.