Breaking down Knicks options as NBA trade deadline fast approaches

There were several reasons Luka Doncic’s trade was such a shocker.Among them, very few people knew he was actually available.

But while there are always surprises at or before the deadline (though never at the level of Doncic), the majority of players who are moved were shopped prior and therefore less unexpected.Like, for instance, the Zach LaVine-for-De’Aaron Fox swap.With the Knicks, we know Jericho Sims, now out of the rotation again, is being shopped.

We know Precious Achiuwa waived his right to a no-trade clause before signing his current deal because the Knicks might need his $6 million salary to complete a trade.We know Mitchell Robinson is a wild card with fickle health.

We know the Knicks’ assets are depleted because of offseason trades, leaving them with paltry draft capital to attract a trade.We know that they want to upgrade their frontcourt depth, whether that’s with Robinson because they’re confident he can return to form or with a deal by the deadline.

We know that wing depth is also an issue.We know the Knicks, as a team operating above the first apron, cannot take back more salary in a trade than they’re sending out.We also have a good sense of who is available for discussion around the NBA, based logic, talk around the NBA and logic.

Those players are listed below:Bradley Beal (Phoenix), Jimmy Butler (Miami), Brandon Ingram (New Orleans), DeAndre Ayton (Portland), Julius Randle (Minnesota), Jerami Grant (Portland), John Collins (Utah), Kyle Kuzma (Washington), Bruce Brown (Toronto), Cam Johnson (Nets), Malcolm Brogdon (Wizards), Clint Capela (Hawks), Nikola Vucevic (Bulls).The movement of this group, in a lot of ways, will dictate other deals before the deadline.Every team is watching its dollars now with the luxury-tax restrictions.

However, the Knicks aren’t really candidates for these types of players.Assuming they don’t trade a starter, getting to at least $20 million in salary would require the Knicks to combine Robinso...