There were several reasons Luka Doncic’s trade was such a shocker. Among them, very few people knew he was actually available. But while there are always surprises at or before the ᴅᴇᴀᴅline (though never at the level of Doncic), the majority of players who are moved were shopped prior and therefore less unexpected. Like, for instance, the Zach LaVine-for-De’Aaron Fox swap.

With the Knicks, we know Jericho Sims, out of the rotation again, is being shopped. We know Precious Achiuwa waived his right to a no-trade clause before signing his current deal because the Knicks might need his $6 million salary to complete a trade.

We know Mitchell Robinson is a wild card with fickle health. We know the Knicks’ ᴀssets are depleted because of offseason trades, leaving them with paltry draft capital to attract a trade. We know that they want to upgrade their frontcourt depth, whether that’s with Robinson because they’re confident he can return to form or with a deal by Thursday’s ᴅᴇᴀᴅline.

We know that wing depth is also an issue. We know the Knicks, as a team operating above the first apron, cannot take back more salary in a trade than they’re sending out.