Considering the New York Knicks reached the Eastern Conference Finals last season, many believe they don’t need to make any tweaks to their roster via trade.
However, Sports Illustrated’s Rohan Raman disagrees, stating that New York could benefit from swapping a 7-foot center for a 36-year-old NBA champion.
“(Mitchell) Robinson is a great player, but they can re-create him in the aggregate with (Walker) Kessler and (Kevin) Love,” Raman wrote Saturday. “Kessler is one of the better rim protectors in the league, posting a block percentage of 7.4% and a staggering 2.4 blocks per game.”
“He made massive strides as a rebounder, recording a league-leading offensive rebounding percentage of 16.6% last year while continuing to end possessions as an intimidating defensive rebounder. He’s a good rim-runner who can play off a talented passer like Jalen Brunson.”
“However, he doesn’t have the postseason experience that Love provides. He was an excellent reserve for the Miami Heat during their run to the NBA Finals and still has a little bit left as a shooter, hitting 34.4% of his threes on 4.4 attempts per game during his last full season in 2023-24.”
For clarity, the Knicks would receive Kessler, Love, and Svi Mykhailiuk, the Utah Jazz would receive Robinson, Pacome Dadiet, and a 2026 first-round pick, and the Atlanta Hawks would receive Tyler Kolek in Raman’s three-team trade idea.
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Love’s best days are behind him, but he has an impressive track record in the big leagues.
The 6-foot-10 forward was a superstar with the Minnesota Timberwolves before joining the star-studded Cleveland Cavaliers in 2014.
The UCLA product arguably saved the day for the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 7 of the 2016 NBA Finals against the Golden State Warriors, denying Stephen Curry an opportunity to tie the game up late in the contest.
The Cavaliers ultimately secured a thrilling 4-3 series win over the Warriors, helping Love capture his first NBA title.
Love, a 36.9% three-point shooter, can still be a trustworthy long-range threat in his late 30s, potentially making him an underrated role player with the Knicks.
Although Robinson is a respectable offensive rebounder and interior defender, his offensive limitations could cause New York to move on from the 27-year-old this summer.
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