For reasons discussed below, trading for Beal, Oladipo or LaVine seems like a long shot.

But if the Knicks want to upgrade their roster by March 25, there are other players they can target outside of those three.

Below, we take a look at a few young players who can help the Knicks win both this year and beyond (And who wouldn’t cost as much in a trade as Beal, Oladipo or LaVine).

Terry Rozier:

Between LaMelo Ball, Rozier, DeVonte Graham and Malik Monk, the Hornets have a logjam in the backcourt. Charlotte values Rozier highly; there’s no indication that the club wants to move him. But given how well Ball has played, you’d think that the Hornets would at least listen to what teams had to offer for Rozier.

How would the 26-year-old fit on the Knicks? Long-term, you could see lineups with Rozier, Immanuel Quickley and RJ Barrett together. Rozier is a solid defender -- something that would likely appeal to Tom Thibodeau -- and has been shooting well this season.

People around the Hornets say Rozier doesn’t shy away from big moments, which would suggest that he could handle New York well.

Again, there’s no indication that Charlotte is open to moving Rozier. But it’s worth noting that last season, before Leon Rose took over, Charlotte and New York had talks about a trade involving Julius Randle, Dennis Smith Jr., Rozier and Monk.

Obviously, nothing came to fruition there (hindsight is 20/20, but all of the teams who had a chance to trade for Randle last season and during the 2020 offseason must be kicking themselves).

Lonzo Ball:

We previously reported that New Orleans was looking for a significant return in any Lonzo Ball trades. The Knicks have the assets to make a Ball trade work. But they have Quickley and Derrick Rose. So is there room for Ball?

The former No. 2 overall pick will be a restricted free agent this summer. So if they like him, the Knicks could make Ball an offer in free agency and sign him without surrendering assets.

Ball is averaging a career-high 14 points with career-highs in field goal percentage and 3-point field goal percentage this season. But pairing him with Barrett could be a risk since neither player has been able to shoot from the perimeter consistently (other players in their final year of their rookie contracts who didn’t sign an extension – such as Chicago’s Lauri Markkanen and Atlanta’s John Collins – are always worth keeping an eye on as the trade deadline approaches).

Buddy Hield:

Earlier in the season, several teams believed Hield was on his way out of Sacramento. At the time, the Kings had been seeking draft compensation in any trade of Hield. It’s unclear if Sacramento is still looking to move Hield, but the Knicks have draft compensation to offer. Hield is shooting below his career average from beyond the arc. But based on how he’s shot it over the course of his career, it’s reasonable to think that he can boost the Knicks’ perimeter shooting.

If I was making this list in the 2020 offseason, I’d add Kyle Kuzma. The Knicks had interest in trading for him prior to the 2020 trade deadline. But it would be surprising if the Lakers would deal Kuzma while they are trying to chase a championship.

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