Depleted Knicks lose to Mavericks after big trade with Pistons before the deadline

The Knicks, with an opening to rise in the Eastern Conference and battling their own injury troubles, saw an opportunity and went for it. They swung a deal just hours before the NBA trade deadline Thursday to bolster their chances with veteran help, acquiring Bojan Bogdanovic and Alec Burks from the Detroit Pistons.

The two were not on hand yet Thursday, leaving the Knicks with a skeleton crew of just eight players available — a number that included a pair of two-way players and still dwindled to seven when Isaiah Hartenstein was ruled out for the second half with a sore left Achilles. With barely enough players to get through the game the Knicks fell to the Dallas Mavericks, 122-108, at Madison Square Garden.

The help is expected to arrive in time for Saturday’s game against Indiana, but for this night it meant little rest for the weary. Donte DiVincenzo led the Knicks with 36 points and Josh Hart recorded his second triple-double in the last five games with 23 points, 10 rebounds and 12 assists. It was not enough to counter 39 from Luka Doncic.

With the team already in contention and seeking to level up the next step, the Knicks were careful to find players who not only raised the talent level and depth, but who fit — as they did when they made the move for OG Anunoby on Dec. 30.

“We’re looking forward to Alec and Bojan coming in,” Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said. “Alec we’re familiar with because he’s been here. We know what a great fit he is for us. Bojan, we’ve gone against him for quite a bit. It gives us added depth. The shooting piece is really important for us. They complement our players extremely well . . .

“We’re always looking at ways that we feel we can improve our team. Whenever we have opportunities we want to take advantage, whether that’s the internal part — that’s something we work at every day. And then when the trade opportunities come, if it’s something that makes sense — [team president] Leon [Rose] and his staff did a great job of looking at all the opportunities. I thought OG was a great fit.

“The thing that’s harder are the guys that [were dealt] because of the commitment that they make. But in order to get good players you have to give up good players. And then our approach can’t change . . .

“The challenge will be when the new guys come in, getting them acclimated as quickly as possible. Because the games keep coming.”

To get Bogdanovic, 34, and Burks, 32, the Knicks surrendered Quentin Grimes, Evan Fournier, Malachi Flynn, Ryan Arcidiacono and two second-round picks. With Anunoby undergoing a surgical procedure to remove a loose bone fragment that will sideline him for at least three more weeks, Julius Randle facing a similar timetable and Mitchell Robinson making his way back from ankle surgery, the trade provides depth and offensive firepower for a team in need of it.

The Knicks also were without Jalen Brunson Thursday as he sat with a sprained right ankle, and Jericho Sims, who was sick, leaving them with just eight active players against Dallas.

Bogdanovic missed the first month of the season with a calf injury but has averaged 20.2 points per game this season, shooting 41.5% from beyond the arc, and provides some of the size missing with Anunoby and Randle sidelined.

Burks, who was a favorite of Thibodeau for his defensive versatility and stabilizing ability on offense, has shot 40.1% from three this season and averaged 12.6 points per game for the Pistons.

“I think that was a really good trade in terms of what we needed,” Josh Hart said. “Adding AB, a good scorer and playmaker off the bench, and then Bojan, someone who can knock down shots, a shot-maker who can get guys involved. So it was definitely what we needed. Whether [Bogdanovic] starts or doesn’t, comes off the bench, we needed a backup four . . . But I think Leon and the front office were cooking today.”

Grimes began the season as a starter for the Knicks but struggled to find his place alongside Randle, Brunson and RJ Barrett, who dominated the ball. An elite on-ball defender, he played better off the bench this season but missed the last three games with a knee injury.

Fournier was a contract the team held onto as a trade chip, but in acquiring Bogdanovic the Knicks now have a similar piece — with a $19 million contract for next season (and just $2 million guaranteed) that can be turned around in a star-chasing trade. The team also has held onto its treasure chest of first-round draft picks — as many as four possibly in the 2024 draft and 11 in the next seven drafts.

The Knicks, who entered the day tied for third place in the Eastern Conference at 33-18, have drastically reshaped their roster from opening night. They have shipped out three of the top six players in the rotation in Barrett, Grimes and Immanuel Quickley. With the injured players expected back shortly the Knicks have bolstered their offense and also added a level of depth that might be unmatched in the league.

“The way I look at it is, when you start the season, your goal is to be playing your best at the end,” Thibodeau said. “I never want to put a ceiling on what our team is. So we can’t look ahead because you do something, we understand the work that has to go into it.”

By Steve Popper

steve.popper@newsday.com@StevePopper

Steve Popper covers the Knicks for Newsday. He has spent nearly three decades covering the Knicks and the NBA, along with just about every sports team in the New York metropolitan area.