Knicks Trade News: $2,500,000 Leeway Saves New York From Hefty NBA Fine; Opens Gate for 2 Stars

These are exciting times for NBA fans as the teams rush to close in on deals before the trade deadline. Amidst the deals going down left and right, the New York Knicks also chimed in on the fun and acquired the Detroit Pistons forward Bojan Bogdanovic. Along with Alec Burks, Bojan was sent to the Knicks in exchange for Evan Fournier, Quentin Grimes, Ryan Arcidiacono, Malachi Flynn, and two second-round picks.

At age 34, Bojan remains a threat on the floor, averaging more than 20 points in a game. However, another aspect of this deal proved to be a big steal for the Knicks. Bojan had signed a $39.1 million two-year contract extension with Detroit in October 2022. This season serves as his final year of a guaranteed contract. Following this, he is on a partially guaranteed $19 million salary. This will be of use for the Knicks.

The Knicks have financial flexibility thanks to Bojan’s contract

By adding Bojan to the team, the Knicks are at an advantage. They will still remain $2.5 million below the luxury tax, which means that they have enough wiggle room and financial flexibility before they reach the tax apron. As reported by ESPN’s Bobby Marks, “New York has 2 open roster spots and $2.5M below the luxury tax. Plenty of room below the firsts apron to sign players bought out of their contract.”

In addition, they have two open spots on their roster. This gives them an edge, enabling them the flexibility to sign players bought out of their contracts without having to carry the burden of salary cap woes. Moreover, Bojan has a partially guaranteed contract for the 2024-25 season. This will allow another advantage to the Knicks.

Bojan can be swapped for a bigger trade

The Knicks will gladly undertake the responsibility of Bojan’s partially guaranteed $19 million salary. The Athletics’ Fred Katz points out that acquiring him was a perfect fit for the team’s goals. He shares, “Acquiring Bogdanovic accomplishes exactly what the Knicks wanted contractually. He’s partially guaranteed for $19M next year, but expect the Knicks to pick that up. They were seeking a 24-25 salary in that range to flip in a bigger trade this summer or next season.”

New York was looking to secure a player with similar salary plans as Bojan’s to potentially exchange for a star trade in the future. So, getting Bojan was like hitting the bull’s eye for them. Moreover, they will have the option to decide whether to retain him or let him go based on their salary constraints. This deal is undoubtedly a big win for the Knicks.

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Is Bojan a perfect fit for the New York Knicks? Apart from the financial advantage, what is the team getting out of this trade? Share your thoughts!

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