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On the fifth anniversary of his hiring, Leon Rose rested.
While NBA rosters went through some shocking changes ahead of a crazy Thursday trade deadline, the Knicks only completed a minor deal Wednesday night by sending Jericho Sims to the Bucks for Delon Wright.
The aftermath leaves the Knicks with still plenty of questions about their frontcourt and wing depth — two issues that have surfaced this season — but also potential in the buyout market for a team with aspirations for a deep playoff run.
The lack of movement was also a symbol the Knicks have confidence in the return and effectiveness of Mitchell Robinson, who is recovering from ankle surgery and hasn’t played since April.
Without Robinson or Sims, the Knicks have just three natural frontcourt players on the roster — Karl-Anthony Towns, Precious Achiuwa and Ariel Hukporti.
OG Anunoby, who missed the last two games with a sprained foot, is the starting power forward when healthy.
The team’s posture at the deadline, according to sources, was they would upgrade the frontcourt depth if they couldn’t rely on Robinson.
At the last update, the center was cleared for contact and progressing toward his first full practice of the season.
Assuming he returns, Robinson will become the Knicks’ big mid-season addition.
It’s a risky gamble to rely on Robinson — he’s missed roughly half the games since the 2020-21 season — but the 26-year-old is also an ideal fit, assuming health.
He fills in areas the Knicks are lacking with his rim protection and offensive rebounding.
But without movement Thursday, the Knicks were bystanders to shifting across the NBA — including three teams in the Eastern Conference’s playoff picture shuffling their decks.
The Cavaliers, the top team, consolidated and upgraded defensively on the wing by acquiring De’Andre Hunter from the Hawks for Caris LeVert and Georges Niang.
The Bucks added Kyle Kuzma from the Wizards for Khris Middleton.
And the Heat received Andrew Wiggins from Golden State for Jimmy Butler.
The buyout market has yet to materialize but the Knicks can’t sign a player whose salary was above the mid-level exception ($12.8 million) before he was waived.
It’s a restriction of operating above the first apron and a disadvantage compared to the Cavaliers, who have no restrictions as a non-taxpayer.
Among the potential buyout candidates the Knicks cannot sign as a taxpayer: Malcolm Brogdon, Bruce Brown, Ben Simmons and Bojan Bogdanovic.
Those players would have to be waived by their respective teams before March 1 to maintain playoff eligibility in the buyout market.
The Knicks, who have an open roster spot, could also elevate a player from the G League like veteran TJ Warren.
This was the first time Rose, who was leaked as the new Knicks president on Feb. 6, 2020, didn’t pull off a consequential in-season trade.
In 2021, he acquired Derrick Rose.
In 2022, he got Cam Reddish.
In 2023, it was Josh Hart. Last season, Rose spent big for OG Anunoby.
Operating with limited assets and maneuverability after spending big in the offseason, Rose was restrained.
He had a protected first-round pick to offer and some second rounders to dangle.
But the only move was a relocation for Sims and a flyer on Wright, a defensive-minded guard who is joining his 10th team in 10 seasons.
With Sims, a backup center, there was an agreement from both sides that the partnership ran its course, according to a source. He was out of the rotation and is heading into free agency this summer.
In Milwaukee, Sims joins a roster that is also thin in frontcourt depth after Brook Lopez, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis.
