With the big man market almost dried up, the New York Knicks are pivoting to the trade market to find Isaiah Hartenstein‘s replacement.
According to Hoopshype’s Michael Scotto, one of the Knicks’ trade options is ex-Kentucky Wildcat Nick Richards of the Charlotte Hornets.
“The Knicks have also made inquiries on the trade market, showing interest in Jazz center Walker Kessler, league sources told HoopsHype, along with Hornets center Nick Richards, as previously reported by HoopsHype,” Scotto wrote on July 2.
The 7-foot Richards has vastly improved over the last two seasons and his coming off his best season in the NBA.
After averaging 8.2 points and 6.4 rebounds during the 2022-23 season, his game went a notch up this past season.
Richards, who boasts a 7’4 wingspan, started in 51 of 67 games for the Hornets last season. He averaged 10.1 points 8.8 rebounds and 1.2 blocks as a starter.
Richards has two years remaining on his three-year, $15 million contract.
Pathway to Acquiring Nick Richards
The Knicks could expand the Mikal Bridges trade and loop in the Hornets to include Richards for an additional pick compensation.
Only Richards was left in the Knicks’ initial list of centers on their radar before Hartenstein decided to bolt for the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Scotto previously listed Andre Drummond, Goga Bitadze, Jonas Valanciunas as free-agent center targets while Richards as a trade target.
Drummond quickly came to terms with the Philadelphia 76ers on a two-year deal for more than $10 million at the start of free agency, per Scotto. Valanciunas inked a three-year, $30 million deal with the Washington Wizards.
Both centers were gone before Hartenstein decided to leave for a three-year, $87 million offer from the Thunder.
On the other hand, Bitadze agreed to return to Orlando Magic for three years, $25 million, which is more than the Knicks’ $5.2 million taxpayer midlevel exception.
Tough Decision for Isaiah Hartenstein to Leave Knicks
According to SNY’s Ian Begley, it was a tough decision for Hartenstein to leave New York, where he had a breakout season which led to this massive deal.
“This was a tough decision for Hartenstein – he loved the city, loved his teammates, loved the organization and what happened here last year. If this wasn’t a team in Oklahoma City that was ready to contend, it might have gone differently. The idea that Hartenstein could go and compete for a title in OKC factored into his decision. The Knicks certainly made it tough, according to people familiar with the matter,” Begley said on X, formerly Twitter.
Hartenstein ultimately had to make the smart decision by taking the best offer on the table.
The Knicks are hard-pressed to replace Hartenstein, who averaged 9.1 rebounds, 8.6 points, 3.2 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.2 blocks in 64 starts, including the playoffs last season.
Mitchell Robinson To Return to Starting Lineup
Mitchell Robinson is expected to regain his starting job with Hartenstein gone.
The Knicks’ longest-tenured player and his trainer Marcell Scott teased a big year after missing more than 50 games last season due to an ankle injury.
“Got something cooking up,” Robinson said on his Instagram story. “Just wait.”
Scott followed it up with his own Instagram story showing Robinson and his high school coach William “Butch” Stockton in the gym.
“Big year, [New York City],” Scott said.
The 26-year-old Robinson was having a career season, averaging a career-high 10.3 rebounds, 6.2 points on 59.2% shooting, 1.5 steals and 1.3 blocks before the injury. He was leading the league in offensive rebounds with 5.3 per game up to that point. He wound up with a 4.6 offensive rebound average, tied with Clint Capela for the league-best mark last season.
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