Ian Begley, SNY.tv | Twitter |

We're basically a week away from the unofficial start to the trade season. On Dec. 15, players who signed contracts as free agents can be moved.

As that date approaches, the Knicks (4-18) are keeping an eye on potential moves that would improve the team, per SNY sources familiar with the matter.

According to various reports, players like Dennis Schroeder, DeMar DeRozan and Kevin Love could be made available via trade by their respective teams.

The Knicks, per a source, are keeping their 'eye on a lot of players' as we enter trade season.

Due to injury or subpar performance, New York has been without a player who can regularly break down a defense and create a shot for himself or his teammates for much of the season.

Teams in touch with New York, in casual conversations, have said that some members of the organization lamented the lack of a creator.

Perhaps that's something New York would target via trade.

It's worth noting that, under team president Steve Mills and GM Scott Perry, the Knicks have taken a stance that they wouldn't trade future first-round picks in any transaction.

It seems unlikely that they would go against that policy at this point in an attempt to improve the roster.

Also, it's worth pointing out that just because the Knicks are looking at potential moves to improve the roster, there's nothing to suggest they are locked in on that course of action.

New York has several players - Marcus Morris, Wayne Ellington and others - who are on one-year deals and could be attractive to playoff contenders. So, they could also explore opportunities to move those players for future assets.

Complicating matters for the Knicks, of course, is the uncertain future of Mills, Perry and management.

In the day after Mills' and Perry's impromptu press conference to express frustration with the season, Mills and others from management spoke with Knicks owner James Dolan. They came away from that conversation with the impression that management would be safe as long as the Knicks showed progress, per SNY sources.

You can find more context on the situation surrounding management here and here.

Strange timing

It's still unclear why the Knicks had David Fizdale coach practice and speak to the media before firing him on Friday. It made for a strange scene, to say the least. One thing worth noting: SNY sources say that Mills and Perry addressed some players on Friday after practice to discuss the firing. The players, according to reports from The Athletic and the New York Daily News, held a meeting earlier in the day to talk about playing harder for Fizdale.

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