The New York Knicks are searching the market for upgrades to their bench this season. With the trade deadline less than one month away, they will likely start forming up some trade proposals very soon.
Knicks have interest in Nick Richards
The area they will likely choose to upgrade is the frontcourt. They lack size off the bench, and they will want to add more physicality to the bench unit before the Feb. 5 deadline.
According to NBA reporter Evan Sidery, the Knicks are among the teams who have looked into adding Phoenix Suns center Nick Richards.
“The Celtics, Knicks, Nuggets, and Raptors are among the teams who have checked in with the Suns on Nick Richards. Moving Richards for a smaller salary allows Phoenix to duck the tax altogether,” Sidery posted on X.
Richards is in his second season with the Suns, though his minutes have greatly diminished compared to last season. He is essentially out of head coach Jordan Ott’s rotation, averaging only 9.4 minutes per game after averaging 22.7 last season.
Richards could be an insurance policy for the Knicks
With Phoenix wanting to dump salary, the Knicks could be an intriguing landing spot for him. Given Mitchell Robinson’s injury history, Richards could be an insurance policy in the event he were to go down, giving them a serviceable backup if needed.
However, New York doesn’t have a ton of assets to move around, so they may preserve some of those for upgrades who will immediately receive playing time. Some players they have interest in include Jose Alvarado and Ayo Dosunmu.
The Knicks have made it clear that they are willing to shop Guerschon Yabusele and Pacome Dadiet for a true upgrade. Both players have been out of the rotation for the most part, and they are the team’s most likely trade candidates heading into trade season.
Richards will certainly be another player on their radar until the deadline.