NBA Rumors: There could be two big names the New York Knicks target in the buyout market.
Roughly a month after the New York Knicks made the big move for OG Anunoby, it's safe to say that the team is still combing through their options as they continue to look for roster upgrades ahead of the final stretch run of the season. With the NBA Trade Deadline less than three weeks away, that's a natural opportunity for the Knicks to make another splash before the playoffs.
However, even if the Knicks don't make another move before the trade deadline, the buyout market is expected to give New York another chance to improve the roster. According to a recent report, there are two big names that the Knicks could have interest in if they hit the buyout market. Kyle Lowry and Gordon Hayward, who are both on the Charlotte Hornets after the Terry Rozier trade, are two big names that Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau is fond of.
Those are two players that could be natural fits for a Knicks team that will be looking for depth before the start of the playoffs. Lowry, specifically, could play a role for the team as a backup point guard behind Jalen Brunson after the Knicks traded away Immanuel Quickley as part of the Anuonby deal.
Hornets will be an interesting follow for the buyout market. Thibs a big fan of both Lowry and Gordon Hayward https://t.co/ZzXpHQKNh7
— Stefan Bondy (@SbondyNBA) January 23, 2024
The New York Knicks could play the waiting game at the NBA Trade Deadline
Even though the ground is ripe for the Knicks to pull off another move ahead of the NBA Trade Deadline, there's no guarantee they end up pursuing one. With how the team has looked since making the Anunoby deal, there's a great deal of optimism surrounding this team.
New York may not feel the need to push for another deal at the deadline and could ultimately wait until the offseason to put all their chips in. Especially considering there may not be another readily available star that would move the needle all that much for the team right now.
If the front office believes that's indeed the case, it would make sense to simply wait until the buyout market to address their biggest weakness at the moment, which is the lack of a veteran backup point guard.
I'm not sure how comfortable the Knicks feel if they entered the playoffs with Miles McBride and Malachi Flynn as their backup point guards. Would Lowry be a better fit? Could that make more sense for the darkhorse East contender?