After the trade deadline, there's often bitterness between teams and the players they sent away. The New York Knicks have mostly avoided this, thanks to helping their players get to good situations.
With Karl-Anthony Towns and backup Precious Achiuwa entrenched at the center position, and Mitchell Robinson poised to return, there was limited playing time for Jericho Sims in New York. Rather than keep Sims in reserve, the Knicks chose to send the big man to the Milwaukee Bucks, where he has a better path to playing time ahead of his free agency.
It's not the first time the Knicks have accommodated a player who they weren't going to resign. Last season's blockbuster deal with the Toronto Raptors for OG Anunoby was done in part because the team couldn't reach a rookie extension with Immanuel Quickley. Instead, they sent him to a team that would meet Quickley's contract demands, the Toronto Raptors, who gave him a five-year deal last summer. The trade also sent small forward RJ Barrett back to his hometown.
There was similar motivation in trading Julius Randle to the Minnesota Timberwolves, going into the final year of his contract when the Knicks weren't going to extend him. Randle said he was "happy to feel wanted" with his new team while his wife revealed that she and her husband were "looking to move" outside of NYC already.
While the Knicks received veteran Delon Wright in the trade, he's not likely to be part of the rotation going forward. The trade seemed primarily motivated by rewarding Sims, who's been a solid team player in four seasons in New York.
The Knicks have been aggressive in improving their team, making deals for Towns, Anunoby and Mikal Bridges in the last 15 months. Still, they're taking care of their old players, which should give them goodwill around the NBA. That's a sharp contrast to how things went before new president Leon Rose was hired.
Are the Knicks better on the court without Sims? Probably not. But by giving him an opportunity, they're operating with a level of decency that makes coming to the Knicks more attractive. When an organization looks out for the 12th man on the roster, all the players feel better about being there.
