A potential trade target for the Knicks is officially off the board.
The Charlotte Hornets traded center Nick Richards and a 2025 second-round pick to the Phoenix Suns in exchange for forward Josh Okogie and three second-round picks, according to ESPN.
Richards, who is expected to step into a starting role for the Suns, had been linked to the Knicks as a reported trade target, particularly given New York’s precarious situation at the center position. He averaged 11.3 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks in the nine games he started for the Hornets this season and boasts the fifth-highest field goal percentage among players with at least 800 shot attempts over the past four years, per ESPN Research.
That kind of efficiency would have made Richards an ideal fit for a Knicks team facing a complicated and fragile center rotation. Mitchell Robinson is still recovering from ankle surgery, and ahead of Wednesday’s matchup against the Philadelphia 76ers, the Knicks ruled Karl-Anthony Towns out with a right thumb sprain. Towns sustained the injury in Monday’s loss to the Detroit Pistons, jamming his thumb on the bottom of the backboard during a drive to the rim. He played through the pain but aggravated the injury as the game progressed.
Without Towns, the Knicks entered Wednesday’s game with limited options at the five: Jericho Sims, rookie Ariel Hukporti, and backup forward Precious Achiuwa. Sims drew the start in Towns’ absence, but the rotation remains a concern for a team with playoff aspirations.
The Hornets and Suns were able to finalize the Richards-for-Okogie swap largely because Charlotte had the flexibility to take back more salary than it sent out — a luxury few teams possess under the league’s new financial rules. With Okogie earning $8.25 million and Richards making $5 million, Charlotte absorbed an additional $3.25 million to secure extra draft capital.
For the Knicks, navigating the trade market will require similar creativity. New York is hard-capped at the second apron, cannot take back more salary than it sends out, and has no outright tradable first-round draft picks. However, the front office holds a stockpile of second-round picks that could facilitate deals akin to the Suns-Hornets trade.
Towns’ injury is not believed to be serious, and Robinson’s eventual return would restore one of the league’s top offensive rebounders and rim protectors to the Knicks’ rotation. However, Robinson’s extensive injury history remains a concern. Should he suffer another setback, the Knicks’ frontcourt depth would once again be stretched thin.
Unsurprisingly, Robinson’s name has circulated in trade rumors. So has Achiuwa, who waived his no-trade clause last summer when he used his Bird Rights to re-sign with the Knicks on a one-year deal. With the Feb. 6 NBA Trade Deadline looming, the Knicks may need to make a move to shore up their frontcourt and keep their championship ambitions alive.
The frontcourt isn’t the only area of concern for the Knicks.
Depth on the wings is another pressing need, especially considering their three-guard rotation of Miles McBride, Landry Shamet, and Cameron Payne maxes out at just 6-foot-4. This lack of size leaves the Knicks vulnerable against bigger, more physical teams and limits their defensive versatility.
And yet, if the Suns — operating above the second apron — can finalize a trade without any first-round picks, the Knicks can follow suit.
They have the second-round picks, and with three weeks remaining until the trade deadline, they have the luxury of time as well. The clock is ticking, but the opportunity to strike the right deal is still within reach.