Out of Options?

As the last decent free agent centers come off the board, the Knicks may turn their attention to a trade.

Good morning! Day three of free agency came and went, and the Knicks still haven’t made a move.

Is today the day?

News & Notes

🏀 The last of the decent / mildly interesting free agent centers went off the board yesterday, with Xavier Tillman returning to Boston, Moe Wagner heading back to Orlando, and James Wiseman signing with Indiana.

🏀 Donovan Mitchell signed a 3-year, $150 million extension with the Cavs. The third year is a player option, meaning that Mitchell is under team control for three more seasons.

🏀 Former Knick Kemba Walker announced his retirement. He last appeared with the Mavs in January of last year, and finishes his career with four All-Star nods, a 3rd Team All-NBA appearance, and over 15,000 career points between the regular season and the playoffs.

Walker Kessler: Knick Target?

As the last of the notable free agent centers went off the board yesterday, Hoops Hype’s Michael Scotto came out with a report that certainly raised some eyebrows:

The Knicks have also made inquiries on the trade market, showing interest in Jazz center Walker Kessler, league sources told HoopsHype, along with Hornets center Nick Richards, as previously reported by HoopsHype. 

After starting 40 of 74 games as a rookie, Kessler started 22 of 64 games in his second season and didn’t take as big of a leap as some in Utah had hoped. However, when he played, his efficiency was notable as he averaged 12.5 points, 11.6 rebounds, and 3.7 blocks per 36 minutes. 

There’s a belief from rival executives that Utah would listen to trade calls for Kessler, whereas last year, the sense was he was not for sale. 

Perhaps the best way to get into a conversation about Kessler is with a simple question:

Why?