This offseason, the Knicks lost their best center in free agency to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Isaiah Hartenstein was a solid player for New York. Now they need to find a way to replace him. The Knicks still have big man Mitchell Robinson on the roster. However, the Knicks are interested in adding a player with more talent.
According to Marcus Berman of the NY Post, the Knicks are reportedly interested in trading for Alperen Sengun or Jalen Duren. Both players would be an upgrade compared to the production New York gets from Robinson. The Knicks want to compete with the Celtics and 76ers in the East next season. To do that, they need to add a legitimate center who will add value to the starting lineup.
Is it realistic for the Knicks to trade for Alperen Sengun or Jalen Duren?
Leon Rose was in 1st row of presser yesterday with Mikal’s mother. Didn’t talk, but he’s still cooking, wants to make big center move after Philly’s 2 additions. Heard Houston’s Sengun has been on radar, even Detroit’s Jalen Duren. And that was before Pistons signed Paul Reed.
— Marc Berman (@NYPost_Berman) July 10, 2024
The New York Knicks are loading up this offseason to be ready to compete in the East in 2024-25. Knicks team president Leon Rose gave O.G. Anunoby a multi-year, long-term extension. Additionally, they gave five first-round picks to the Nets to acquire Mikal Bridges. With all the picks they gave away, the Knicks do not have many trade assets to give away. Still, reports say that the team is interested in trading for Alperen Sengun or Jalen Duren.
Sengun was the 16th overall pick by the OKC Thunder in the 2021 NBA Draft. Ahead of his rookie season, he was traded by OKC to the Houston Rockets. In each of his first three seasons with Houston, Sengun has gotten better each year. This past season, he averaged a career-high (21.3) points, (9.3) rebounds, (5.0) assists, and (1.2) steals per game. The 21-year-old has a ton of potential to be one of the best centers in the league if he continues developing. That makes him an even harder player to trade for.
The New York Knicks are showing interest in Jalen Duren and Alperen Sengun, per @NYPost_Berman pic.twitter.com/p2DL9UfjLi
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) July 10, 2024
There’s also Jalen Duren who the Knicks reportedly have an interest in. Duren was the 13th overall pick by the Charlotte Hornets in the 2022 NBA Draft. However, Duren was involved in a three-team trade and found himself on the Detroit Pistons. The 20-year-old upped his scoring and rebounding numbers in year two, averaging (13.8) points and (11.6) rebounds per game. Compared to Alperen Sengun, Jalen Duren might be a player the Knicks could realistically target in a trade.
