NBA Trade Rumors: New York Knicks in Pursuit of Signing Victor Oladipo to Boost Playoff Hopes

Published 02/03/2021, 2:36 PM EST

The New York Knicks made a surprisingly good start to the 2020-21 NBA season, but they’ve quickly lost their magical touch altogether. The Knicks only have a single victory in their last six games, and Julius Randle is the only beacon of light that is keeping the team’s offense alive. Hence, the franchise might push for a blockbuster signing just before the trade deadline!

Randle is no point-guard, but he’s been forced to play as one this season. The Knicks don’t have a potent offense, and the team is said to be focusing on Houston Rockets’ latest additionVictor Oladipo, in an attempt to sign him before the NBA’s trade deadline on March 25.

NBA Trade Rumors: New York Knicks trying to land Victor Oladipo?

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Why are the Knicks dwelling on Victor Oladipo? It is because they don’t have a consistent offensive contributor who can make the team thrive. There’s a lack of experience in New York’s roster that is deterring them from flying high.

Just one season ago, Julius Randle wasn’t that much of an impactful player for the Knicks. But now, he is filling up the stat sheet due to the absence of a foundational player.

The bottom line is that the Knicks are hesitant to build their team solely around Randle, which is why they’re targeting a veteran guard in Victor Oladipo.

Is there a real possibility of Oladipo joining the team?

The Knicks’ interest in Oladipo was brought to light by Bleacher Report’s A Sherrod Blakely, who mentioned that New York is one of the teams that’s closely monitoring Oladipo’s game at the moment.

The shooting guard’s two-way ability is the most captivating part of his game, and the Knicks desperately require an experienced player that can handle either end of the court. The Knicks might be able to trade for him by shelling for a few assets, but there’s a catch to it:

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Victor Oladipo is on the final year of his contract and will become an unrestricted free agent during the 2021 offseason. This leaves the Knicks with a dilemma; trade for Oladipo before the deadline, or sign him as a free agent during the offseason?

The Knicks currently hold a 9-13 record and aspire to make it to the postseason for the first time in eight years. If the franchise wants to make it happen in 2021, they would indeed require the services of Victor Oladipo as soon as possible.

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The 28-year-old shooting guard is currently averaging 20.4 points per game in the current season. Oladipo’s adapted well with his new Rockets team, but it’s highly unlikely that he’d pass on a chance to play for the Knicks!

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Arjun Athreya is a senior writer at Essentially Sports and has been contributing since early 2020. Having developed an avid interest in sports at an early age, he pursued a Journalism degree and graduated from Madras Christian College. Arjun manages the Golf division and its content, and primarily covers news pertaining to the NBA as well.

NBA Trade Rumors: New York Knicks in Pursuit of Signing Victor Oladipo to Boost Playoff Hopes

NBA Trade Rumors: New York Knicks trying to land Victor Oladipo?

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Is there a real possibility of Oladipo joining the team?