The Knicks got better on Saturday.
They improved their offensive profile.
They added versatility at both ends of the floor.
They gave Tom Thibodeau another reliable reserve, and enabled the front office to deal from a strength — the backcourt — for a potential difference-maker if such a trade arises.
That is not for debate, no matter how much you may have liked Obi Toppin, who was dealt to the Pacers for two future second-round picks, and felt Donte DiVincenzo (signed to a four-year, $50 million contract) is redundant with this roster.
How much better?
That remains to be seen, and won’t really be known for several months, when the 2023-24 season rolls around.
But it was apparent when the Knicks were eliminated in six games by the Heat that they needed more shotmakers and offensive creators.
DiVincenzo, coming off a season in which he shot 39.7 percent from 3-point range and averaged 3.5 assists for the Warriors, upgrades them in those categories.
Remember, while the Knicks were one of the best offensive teams during the regular season, tied for third in the league in offensive rating at 117.0, they still only shot 35.4 percent from 3-point range, which was 19th in the NBA.
They shot just 29.2 percent from distance in the postseason, the worst of the 16 teams to reach the main draw.
The Heat basically dared them to beat them from the perimeter, and the Knicks other than Jalen Brunson couldn’t.
A career 36.2 percent 3-point shooter, DiVincenzo improves the Knicks from beyond the arc.
He didn’t just shoot nearly 40 percent from 3 last year, he did so on 5.3 attempts per game, a high volume.
And similar to Brunson, he’s a high-IQ player who doesn’t make mistakes often, averaging only 1.4 turnovers throughout his five-year NBA career.
Now, dealing the 6-foot-9 Toppin does weaken the Knicks in one area — at power forward on the second unit.
Barring a trade, they are capped out and may not be adding anyone for that position.
RJ Barrett and Josh Hart were used on occasion there last year, which feels like a solution at the moment for next season.
Hart is an elite rebounder for his size at 6-4 — the former Villanova star was fourth among guards in rebounds at 7.8 last season and tied for sixth in rebounding percentage at 12.4 — and the 6-6 Barrett could be a weapon as an undersized four-man attacking slower defenders.
Remember, Toppin only averaged 15.7 minutes in his final year with the Knicks, so it’s not like there are heavy minutes to replace.
(As an aside, fans’ frustration with the Toppin move is understandable. He was the No. 8 pick in the 2020 draft who never really got an opportunity and was then sent away for draft picks. His value was only depreciating as he sat behind Julius Randle. It wasn’t going to change here, but the Knicks never found out about the player they used a top-10 pick on, either.)
Perhaps the biggest reason this was a good day for the Knicks, though, is the possibilities the two moves create.
It gives team president Leon Rose flexibility if the opportunity presents itself.
He can move Immanuel Quickley or Quentin Grimes, and not be concerned about lacking depth in the backcourt.
The Knicks have a glut of guards and small wings, players that are attractive to other teams.
Rose is now in a position to use those assets if the right player becomes available.
Essentially, the Knicks traded Toppin for DiVincenzo.
They sent away a disappointing player that didn’t really have a role here for someone that is expected to fit much better.
Both players are almost the same age; Toppin is 25, DiVincenzo is 26.
That being said, the DiVincenzo signing doesn’t necessarily move the proverbial needle.
I wouldn’t classify him as a difference-maker.
But he’s a quality player just entering his prime that improves the back end of the roster.
The Knicks hit a single on Saturday.
If that is it for this offseason, after the franchise’s best season in a decade, that should be considered a success.