Hornets seen as potential trade partner in disaster Knicks scenario

The New York Knicks are fresh off an impressive playoff run that could have been even better had they not gotten injured, and the Charlotte Hornets could be in position to help them out this summer.

Isaiah Hartenstein is set to hit the market as an unrestricted free agent, but the Knicks desperately want to keep him around. He was a crucial part of their postseason success this past year.

However, there are some other teams on the market who could hope to steal Hartenstein from New York this summer; teams like the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs.

If they end up failing to re-sign Hartenstein, the Knicks would have to work hard to find a suitable replacement, as losing his production would be a disaster after the postseason he just had. That’s where the Hornets could swoop in to provide them with some aid.

Hornets big man Nick Richards seen as potential Knicks trade target if they lose Isaiah Hartenstein in free agency

According to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, Hornets big man Nick Richards is seen as a potential Hartenstein replacement option for New York this offseason.

The other centers Scotto mentioned as possible New York trade targets are Orlando Magic center Goga Bitadze, New Orleans Pelicans bruiser Jonas Valanciunas, and potentially Chicago Bulls veteran Andre Drummond. All three of those guys will be free agents this summer.

Richards, on the other hand, is still under contract for two more seasons, with the second of them being a non-guaranteed year. He’s set to earn exactly $5 million in each of the seasons..

The 26-year-old big man enjoyed the best season of his career with the Hornets this past year. Richards played in 67 games for the Hornets, starting 51 of them. He averaged 9.7 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks while shooting 69.1% from the field.

Adding him to the Knicks’ rotation of big men would give them another solid option at the five to play behind Mitchell Robinson, who would remain the starting center in New York for the foreseeable future.

At the end of the day, Richards isn’t incredible, but he would do the job for Tom Thibodeau, and that’s all that matters at the end of the day.

Plus, making just $5 million per season, he’s a cheap option that would help New York keep some flexibility in terms of roster-building.