Just in:the Knicks are angling for a star player, looks like they got one

On FanDuel TV’s “Run It Back” on Wednesday, NBA insider Shams Charania said the New York Knicks are looking at the market for a star player.

New York’s 146-122 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday made it clear that the Knicks (12-8) need another star to reach the playoffs.Jalen Brunson (24.9 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 5.6 APG) and Julius Randle (21.5 PPG, 10 RPG, 5.5 APG) are All-Star caliber players, but neither is good enough to lead a team to an NBA title.

New York could use young players RJ Barrett (23), Immanuel Quickley (24) and Quentin Grimes (23) as trade bait. Adding Evan Fournier ($18.9 million in 2023-24, per Spotrac) would help align salaries in a deal.

The question is: which star will be available?The Knicks have been linked to Karl-Anthony Towns of the upstart Minnesota Timberwolves and Donovan Mitchell of the Cleveland Cavaliers.Towns would fit in well with his three-point shooting (41.8%) from the center or power forward position, allowing Brunson and Randle to spread the floor in ways Mitchell Robinson can’t. However, the Timberwolves have the best record in the NBA (15-4), so trading Town now makes no sense.

However, Mitchell would fit perfectly next to Brunson in New York’s backcourt, and with the Cavaliers (11-9) unexpectedly hovering around .500, Cleveland could listen to trade offers. The Knicks are a good defensive team, ranking seventh in defensive rating (110.8), but their offense struggles at times. They rank 11th in offensive rating (115) but 28th in field goal percentage (44.7%).

(Defensive rating is the number of points allowed per 100 possessions; offensive rating is the number of points scored per 100 possessions.)New York’s offensive rating is due in part to Robinson’s offensive rebounding abilities. He leads the league with 5.4 offensive rebounds per game.

The extra scoring opportunities he creates allow the Knicks to score well despite low shooting percentages. Mitchell is among the league’s top scorers (27.1 points per game) and would immediately help the Knicks score more efficiently. His three-point shooting dropped from 38.6% last season to 34.4% this season, but with only 15 games played, that number could rise with some good shooting.

Mitchell’s ability to draw the defense’s attention would allow Brunson and Randle to get better shots. This is especially true for Randle, who is known for forcing bad shots.Adding Mitchell would also give the Knicks the best chance to win during Randle’s five-year tenure with the team.According to Oddschecker, New York is at the bottom of the list of Eastern Conference title contenders.The Knicks don’t need to force a trade for a star, but to win their first NBA championship since 1973, drafting a player like Mitchell is essential