The New York Knicks had a busy trade deadline on Thursday, acquiring Bojan Bogdanovic and Alec Burks from the Detroit Pistons in exchange for several players and two second-round draft picks.
Knicks’ Strategic Acquisitions
The acquisition of Burks and Bogdanovic follows adding OG Anunoby from the Toronto Raptors, sending Immanuel Quickley and RJ Barrett up north. However, despite Anunoby’s immediate impact as an elite defensive player, they will miss him for the next three weeks at minimum after undergoing surgery to remove a loose bone fragment in his right elbow.
According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, the procedure was considered minor, and he should be ready to go later this season and for a hopeful playoff run.
Anunoby is headed into free agency after the 2023 season, but the 26-year-old is expected to stick around in New York on a long-term extension. This season, he’s averaging 15.3 points per game, shooting .498 from the field and .379 from three-point range.
With the Knicks, he’s played 35.7 minutes per game over 14 appearances, averaging 15.6 points, shooting .516 from the field and .391 from downtown. He’s also added 4.6 rebounds and 1.8 steals.
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Injury Challenges
In the meantime, the Knicks will be hoping to get back some of their star players, notably Julius Randle, who’s been working his way back from a dislocated shoulder. Point guard Jalen Brunson also sustained a sprained ankle on Tuesday, but he was listed as “questionable” for Thursday’s game against the Dallas Mavericks, indicating he should be back sooner or later.
Optimism Amidst Setbacks
Unfortunately, the Knicks have experienced a surprising string of injuries, but none are considered season-ending, and they should be back to full strength for the stretch run to close the regular season.