Who’s off the Table?

While the Knicks do need to get busy on the trade front, there are a few players who should be off the table in trade talks. Forward Kristaps Porzingis is one of them.

The 21 year old Latvian forward has taken the next step in his game, and it’s imperative that the Knicks begin formatting their roster around him. Fellow big man Willy Hernangomez is another player the Knicks need to start building around.

The 22-year-old Spanish center has been a bright spot for the Knicks this year. He’s been a presence on both ends of the floor. He posts up, grabs both offensive and defensive rebounds, and is a solid defensive force. His youth and potential upside to grow into a tower down low make him a valuable asset for the Knicks. The same goes for guard Ron Baker.

The rookie Baker hasn’t received a ton of playing time this year, but he’s shown that he can play. He’s been a two-way player; he’s come in and hit the three ball, and has been an excellent on-ball defender. Guard Courtney Lee has done the same and given his reasonable four-year, $50 million contract the Knicks should look to keep him on their roster as well.

Also, while they’d probably love to get his massive 72 million dollar deal off their hands, center Joakim Noah is virtually untradeable. He hasn’t produced to the level the Knicks had envisioned, and he has been outplayed by both Willy Hernangomez and center Kyle O’Quinn. Who is tradeable, though?

Here are four deals the Knicks could make before Thursday’s trade deadline.