Record: 23-32

Eastern Conference Standing: 10th (4.5 GB of 8th Seed)

State of the Team: Crisis, Rebuilding

With the devastating news late Tuesday night that Kristaps Porzingis tore his left ACL, the clinging hope of a Knicks playoff run is now officially decimated. The only logical route in this scenario is to sell off veterans to acquire building blocks for the future and pave the way for more playing time for younger players. The Knicks should make a push to be sellers before Thursday’s deadline. Easier said than done.

Untouchable: Kristaps Porzingis PF

Despite his injury, Porzingis will continue to be the face of the Knicks franchise. The 7’3″ Latvian did as good a job as anyone could ask for in a 22-year old tasked with filling the void left by Carmelo Anthony. With his rare combination of skill, athleticism, size and youth the Knicks cannot afford to think of a future without Porzingis

Shouldn’t Move, Won’t Move: Tim Hardaway Jr. G/F, Frank Ntilikina PG

Hardaway Jr. is just past the halfway point in year one of his fresh 4-year, $70.5 million contract signed this past offseason. So far, Hardaway Jr. has lived up to the contract, providing key scoring and shooting to a Knicks team that desperately needs it. At 25 years old, Hardaway is about to enter his prime and is still young enough to be on the fringe of the Knicks core. The Knicks need to see what he, and the team, become in the next year or so before determining his future.

Ntilikina is the Knicks’ most recent draft pick and just 19-years old. He has already displayed the tools to be a premier defender and stout passer. But really he is just scratching the surface of what he can be. The Knicks consider him as part of their young core, they shouldn’t and wont move him now.

Shouldn’t Move, But Might: Willy Hernangomez C

If there was one major loser from the Carmelo Anthony trade, it was Willy Hernangomez. Admittedly a dying breed in today’s NBA, Hernangomez possess rare footwork in the post for his age (23) to go with deceptive quickness. In the middle of last year, Hernangomez started to gain favor in the Knicks’ rotation ending his rookie season with averages of 8.2 points and 7.0 rebounds. The results were good enough to land him on the All-Rookie first team. Everything seemed to be trending upward for the young Spaniard.

That was until the Carmelo Anthony trade brought a starting center in town, and Kyle O’Quinn outplayed Hernangomez in training camp to win the backup job. From a coach’s perspective it’s not completely incomprehensible that Hernangomez is the odd man out. From a Front Office perspective it’s absolutely infuriating. Kanter and O’Quinn both have player options and may be gone after this season. Meanwhile Hernangomez is younger than both and on perhaps the NBA’s greatest value contract with two years remaining for a total of $3.05 million.

Hernangomez is not without his flaws. He’s a below average defender and can stand to improve his outside shot. But for a Knicks team that should be rebuilding, he’s a talented young player on a great contract. Not to mention, his season long benching has plummeted his market value to an all-time low.

In spite of the recent onslaught of trade demands from Hernangomez and his agents, the Knicks should weather the storm.

Should Move, But Won’t: Enes Kanter C

Since arriving in a trade from Oklahoma City, Kanter has put up the best numbers of his career putting up 14 points and 10 rebounds a game. Embracing both the City and his starting role, Kanter has been everything the Knicks could have hoped for. Taking pressure off Porzingis on the glass, and allowing him to remain at power forward has almost been worth the trade in and of itself. However, Kanter still has his deficincies defensively and his contract situation leaves much to be desired. Armed with a player option at $18.6 million next year, Kanter can opt out leaving the Knicks with nothing or hold them hostage with his salary.

The reasons he won’t move come from both angles. His efforts have not gone unnoticed, the Knicks value the production and mentality he has brought to the team. It’s very possible they attempt to re-sign him this offseason. Conversely, the market for large contracts is sparse and only players with true game changing ability are being chased by contenders. Kanter is not one of those players.

Should Move, Just Might: Kyle O’Quinn C, Courtney Lee G/F

The reason why both players have market value is the same reason the Knicks are hesitant to part with them.

O’Quinn is the more obvious candidate of the two to move. He has been everything you could hope for out of a backup center. He’s a tenacious rebounder, can hit the mid-range shot, is still a criminally underrated passer and one of the most adored players amongst the locker room and fans. But this is a numbers game.

Contributing to a clogged center position which has caused Joakim Noah to leave the team and Hernangomez to request a trade, his departure would relieve the most pressure from the powder keg. More importantly, O’Quinn has a player option over the summer for $4.2 million that he is certain to decline. The Knicks simply have too much money and time tied up in the center position. In no position to compete this year, the Knicks should thank O’Quinn for his service and recoup what they can.

Lee is along similar, but markedly different lines. He is having a career year averaging 13.3 points while shooting 41.8% from beyond the arc. One of the better 3-and-D players in the league, Lee is great catch-and-shoot player and quality defender. Much like O’Quinn, he is revered among fans for being a tenacious player and a glue guy.

A starter on the Knicks, Lee would likely be a bench player or injury replacement on a contender. However, Lee is both older (32) and more of a financial investment than some of the other shooters on the market – he has two years, $25 million remaining on his contract. With players like Lou Williams and Tyreke Evans on the market, the Knicks will have to let a few dominoes fall first before determining Lee’s true value. The Knicks have the benefit of time given Lee’s contract and may opt for stability and let him finish out the year in New York.

Role Players Staying Put: Michael Beasley F, Doug McDermott SF

Beasley has been a pleasant surprise for the Knicks. Seemingly able to score at will, Beasley has provided valuable bench scoring for the Knicks. At times he has even closed out games and attempted a role as a crunch time go to scorer. Signed to just a one year, minimum contract the Knicks will keep Beasley especially in the absence of Porzingis. The rest of the year could decide whether the Knicks dip into their mid-level exception to retain him past this year.

McDermott, as advertised, is a quality rotational player in New York. He’s been one of the few Knicks outside of Courtney Lee and Tim Hardaway Jr. capable of consistently hitting outside shots at 39.3% from three. McDermott is also a better defender than portrayed, very good at rotational team defense. A restricted free agent, McDermott is an intriguing possibility to bring back on a manageable contract.

The market is flooded with rotational players, with McDermott in the middle of the pack. It’s not worth trading him for the return he’d bring.

Would Be Foolish To Part With: Joakim Noah C

Most known recently for throwing a hissy fit, despite making $18 million dollars per year for sitting on a bench, Joakim Noah has been asked to leave the Knicks until at least Thursday’s deadline. There are some who are underpaid and those who are overpaid. The latter being the more fortunate of the two.

Apparently Noah didn’t get the memo. Despite nearly unanimously having the worst value contract (pay vs. play) contract in the NBA with two years, $37.8 million remaining on his contract, Joakim Noah is disgruntled. Sitting fourth on the center depth chart, Noah has played a total of just 40 minutes this season. If he truly wants to play that badly Noah should accept a buyout for zero dollars or go play in the G League. Otherwise, he can collect his money and abide by the directive of the coaches and Front Office.

The Knicks conversely would be foolish to cave to his demands. There is no way to trade Noah without including a valuable asset, the assumption here is a first round pick. A waiver option would leave dead money on their salary cap for at least the next two years at his contract salary, or a stretch provision extending the cap hit to $7.5 million per year for the next five years.

Simply put, it’s better to pay Noah for the next year and a half to sit on his couch and watch television rather than tie up the cap or part with a future asset. At least in 2020, they may be able to trade his expiring contract.