Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau reportedly thought the team could trade its 2 best young players for veteran upgrades

© Brad Penner/Pool Photo/AP ImagesTom Thibodeau. Brad Penner/Pool Photo/AP Images

• Tom Thibodeau thought the Knicks should trade RJ Barrett and Mitchell Robinson for veteran upgrades.
• The young players are considered to be part of the Knicks' core to build around going forward.
• The Knicks did not trade them, and both have played a big part in the team's surprising start.
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The New York Knicks have been one of the NBA's best surprises this season, going 19-18 and fighting for a playoff spot.

However, if it were up to new head coach Tom Thibodeau, the Knicks might be going all-in on a playoff chase, rather than blending veteran help with their young core.

According to Yaron Weitzman in the New York Post, Thibodeau wanted to reshape the roster to chase wins this season. Thibodeau reportedly thought the Knicks could trade second-year wing R.J. Barrett and third-year center Mitchell Robinson for "seasoned veterans."

© Eric Gay/AP ImagesR.J. Barrett. Eric Gay/AP Images While few NBA players are ever truly off the table in trades, it is still eyebrow-raising, as most observers believed Barrett, the 2019 No. 3 pick, and Robinson, a 2018 second-round surprise, were the core the team would build around going forward.

According to Weitzman, Thibodeau encouraged the Knicks to chase free agents like Gordon Hayward, Marcus Morris, and Bogdan Bogdanovic this past offseason. According to multiple reports, the Knicks did offer Hayward a large contract, only to be outbid by the Charlotte Hornets.

Of course, Thibodeau didn't get his way. The Knicks didn't trade either Barrett or Robinson, and both have become integral parts of the team's success this season.

Barrett is averaging 16 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists per game on 44% shooting, 35% from three, looking more and more like a consistent scorer, playmaker, and shooter that some doubted he could become.

Robinson has recently missed games with a fractured wrist but has been a key cog in the middle, helping the Knicks build the second-best defense in the NBA.

According to Weitzman, Brock Aller, the Knicks' vice president and chief strategist, has essentially been Thibodeau's counter. Aller reportedly believed the Knicks should sign cheap veteran players to short deals, hoping to eventually flip them for future draft picks while retaining future cap space. Aller won out, with the Knicks signing players like Alec Burks, Nerlens Noel, and Austin Rivers to short, team-friendly deals.

The second half of the season will be a big test for the Knicks, who have gotten some breaks in their 19-18 start - namely, a slightly easier schedule and a lot of lucky misses from opponents. With the trade deadline approaching on March 25, it's possible Thibodeau pushes the team to trade for veteran help, though presumably Barrett and Robinson are off the table at this point.