The New York Knicks are real, and they're even more spectacular after a trade deadline swap with the Detroit Pistons bolstered their NBA championship odds in a major way.
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With the Philadelphia 76ers dealing with a meniscus injury to reigning Most Valuable Player Joel Embiid, and the Milwaukee Bucks struggling to win games and play defense under new head coach Doc Rivers, the Knicks looked to seize the moment in a vulnerable Eastern Conference and make a splash ahead of the Feb. 8 trade deadline.
The Knicks acquired Alec Burks and Bojan Bogdanovic from the Pistons in exchange for Evan Fournier, Malachi Flynn, Quentin Grimes, Ryan Arcidiacono, two future second-round draft picks, and cash considerations.
ESPN gives the Knicks an A and the Pistons a C+ for todays trade between the two teams pic.twitter.com/IYcx9ZP5uA
— Let’s Talk Knicks (LTK) (@LetsTalkKnicks_) February 9, 2024
Oddsmakers took notice of the acquisition and lowered the Knicks' odds to hoist the Larry O'Brien from +2800 the week prior to +2000 as of Feb. 9.
Knicks' Championship Odds
| Date | Knicks' Record | Odds |
|---|---|---|
| January 1, 2024 | 18-15 | +5000 |
| January 23, 2024 | 27-17 | +4500 |
| January 26, 2024 | 28-17 | +3500 |
| February 1, 2024 | 32-17 | +3000 |
| February 4, 2024 | 32-18 | +2800 |
| February 9, 2024 | 33-19 | +2000 |
How Trade Elevates Knicks
New York poached two of Detroit's five best scorers in one fell swoop, and didn't even have to part with a first-round draft pick to close the deal. With both Bogdanovic and Burks expected to come off the bench, the Knicks' depth instantly becomes more credible as their second unit only ranks 24th overall in points per game at 30.1.
Bogdanovic can also slide into the starting lineup, which he may have to out of the gate as Julius Randle recovers from a dislocated shoulder and O.G. Anunoby having just undergone surgery to remove a loose bone fragment in his right elbow.
WELCOME TO NEW YORK, BOJAN BOGDANOVIC🚨
— Leon Rose Fan Account (@TheStrickland) February 8, 2024
(🫡 @IQfor3) pic.twitter.com/80xX6zHtMv
Bogdanovic made 32 appearances this season for the Motor City, averaging 20.2 points in 32.9 minutes while converting 3.1 shots from behind the arc per game at a 41.5 percent clip. He has 47 games of playoff experience on his resume, and that's invaluable for a team that not only has just a pair of postseason appearances since 2014, but one that has legitimate title aspirations this year.
Turning 35 years old this year, Bogdanovic can still offer head coach Tom Thibodeau flexibility in his frontcourt once his core guys get healthy. He's not a great defender, but that can easily be masked when the likes of Anunoby and center Mitchell Robinson return. New York won't be asking Bogdanovic to lock anyone down anyway.
Burks, on the other hand, is already familiar with the Knicks organization, having previously donned the blue and orange for 130 games from 2020 through 2022. New York already ranks in the top half of the league in 3-pointers made (13.1, 14th), attempted (35.4, 13th), and efficiency (37 percent, 14th), and by adding Burks, they get a player who has shot better than 40 percent from the perimeter each of the last four years.
Welcome back, Alec Burks! pic.twitter.com/7Nnpw4e5oW
— KnicksMuse (@KnicksMuse) February 8, 2024
Like Bogdanovic, Burks is a reliable contingency behind Donte DiVincenzo and Josh Hart in the Knicks' backcourt, and he does have experience running the point for New York during his previous stint should All-Star Jalen Brunson need a rest.
Believe In New York
The landscape of the East changed when the Knicks pulled the trigger on a trade with the Toronto Raptors to acquire Anunoby to end 2023. That move invigorated New York's defense to a great extent, vaulting it to second overall behind the Cleveland Cavaliers at 107.2 points per 100 possessions allowed since the start of the new year.
By making the trade with the Pistons to bring aboard Bogdanovic and Burks, the Knicks are sending a loud message that they're looking to maximize their ceiling this season to make as deep a run as possible once the playoffs get underway in April.
| Position | Starter | Backup | 3rd |
|---|---|---|---|
| PG | Jalen Brunson | Miles McBride | Duane Washington Jr. |
| SG | Dante DiVincenzo | Josh Hart | Charlie Brown Jr. |
| SF | O.G. Anunoby | Alec Burks | Jacob Toppin |
| PF | Julius Randle | Bojan Bogdanovic | Taj Gibson |
| C | Isaiah Hartenstein | Precious Achiuwa | Mitchell Robinson (INJ) |
It was back in 1973 when the Knicks were last crowned champions, so to say they're in a drought would be an understatement. This current roster still has weaker odds than the Boston Celtics (+265), Milwaukee Bucks (+600), and Philadelphia 76ers (+1800), but they're well on their way to climbing the charts even further.
New York wants you to take notice. It's time to pay attention.
