The Knicks’ trade over the weekend for OG Anunoby paid immediate dividends, as Anunoby had 17 points in a Knicks win Monday – and while the deal is well past, BT has an opinion that seals the deal.
“To me, if you’re consumed by anything other than these three things, you’re missing the mark,” BT said. “One, RJ Barrett was never going to be what we needed him to be, and two, the Knicks were never going to pay Quickley – and it pains me more to say that, because both were homegrown and easy to like, well-adjusted kids who got it, but Barrett wasn’t it and Quickley isn’t worth what he’s going to get.”
BT saw it on Twitter and thought the Knicks immediately got better
“First of all, I love the trade, but I was thinking that those two would be part of a bigger package,” Sal said. “I think that it makes them better and the pieces fit much better, but my initial reaction was that's a lot to give up for a non All-Star. I was thinking the Knicks were gonna package RJ and Quickley and more, maybe a first-round pick, to get a big star, and this is obviously not that.”
That to Sal, is the big issue.
“You’re getting rid of RJ for a player who fits better, Quickley the player you don’t want to give up on, but you have a point guard in Brunson, so you won’t pay another one, and you open up minutes for Quentin Grimes,” Sal said, “but, now, here we are: the Knicks traded Barrett and Quickley and still don't have that superstar. Do they have enough? I know they have the picks, the space cap-wise, whatever, but do they have enough to then land that next player?”
BT had a quick answer for that, too.
“Yes, because then it’s those four first-round picks, and I’d assume it’d be a two-guard, so then you maybe give up Grimes,” BT said, “with some ancillary pieces being dealt.”