His conclusion?

Leon Rose is cookin’.

Four hours ahead of Thursday’s 3 p.m. NBA trade deadline, the Knicks dealt four players (Quentin Grimes, Evan Fournier, Ryan Arcidiacono and Malachi Flynn) and two second-round picks to the Detroit Pistons for vaunted bench scorer Bojan Bogdanovic and former Knicks playmaker Alec Burks.

The Knicks needed the contracts of Fournier and Flynn for salary-matching reasons, but losing Grimes, a capable three-and-D wing in the third year of his rookie deal, and Arcidiacano, beloved among his Villanova cohort, including rotation mainstays Hart, Jalen Brunson and Donte DiVincenzo, hit home at Madison Square Garden.

Basketball, however, is a business — and Rose’s Knicks are in the business of winning.

He traded homegrown first-round picks RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley on New Year’s Day in the OG Anunoby trade with the Toronto Raptors, which also netted Precious Achiuwa.

Just like the Anunoby deal, Thursday’s trade was a no-brainer.

It’s the all-too familiar feeling of another home run for a Knicks front office with a steady, yet undeniable track record of improving the roster via a mid-season trade.

“Obviously, I hate to see my guy, Archy go,” said Hart. “Obviously, you hate to see anybody go. Obviously, that’s our guy. But nah, I think that was a really good trade in terms of what we needed.”

* * *

Breaking news: The private jet did not land in time.

Hart only wanted one thing for a battered Knicks roster sporting just eight players for Thursday’s matchup against the Dallas Mavericks: for the private jet — “the P.J.” — to make its way.

That is, for Burks and Bogdanovic — who had been acquired just hours before he spoke to media — to miraculously arrive at MSG in time for tipoff.

A pipe dream.

With Anunoby (right elbow surgery), Jalen Brunson (sprained right ankle), Julius Randle (dislocated right shoulder) and Mitchell Robinson (left ankle surgery) all out due to injury, the Deadline-Day Knicks deployed just eight players against the Mavericks.

Two of those players (Jacob Toppin and Charlie Brown Jr.) are on two-way contracts, called up from the Westchester Knicks. The 38-year-old Taj Gibson logged 22 minutes as one of the remaining six available players.

Isaiah Hartenstein was healthy, too, until he left the game at halftime after aggravating an Achilles injury.

Hart braced himself for a heavy minutes load, but under these circumstances, the sheer thought of double-overtime sent him off the deep end.

“Oh, f—k. If they do that [double OT], y’all gonna start seeing me hacking, arguing calls,” said Hart. “I think we’ve got [NBA official] Zach Zarba. … Y’all might see my walk up to Zach; I might just slap Zach, get a quick tech and get out of here.

“Yeah, if we go to double-overtime, Zach, he got one coming.”

What’s coming off as an extreme course of action is, in reality, a cry for help. And thanks to Rose, help is on the way, though not in enough time to spare Hart’s legs on Thursday.

Hart is averaging 39.6 minutes across the six games both Randle and Anunoby have missed since the Jan. 27 matchup against the Miami Heat. And when Brunson couldn’t go on Thursday, Hart — after hyperextending his knee on Tuesday against the Memphis Grizzlies — played 42 minutes.

“I’s tired, boss. That’s how I’m feeling,” Hart said ahead of tipoff on Thursday. “But nah, I’m cool. … We gonna push the body today.”

This is where New York’s next-man-up ethos reaches an inflection point.

DiVincenzo and Achiuwa are averaging 40.5 and 40 minutes, respectively, since Randle and Anunoby went down. With Brunson out on Thursday, Miles McBride played 45 of a possible 48 minutes against the Mavericks.

The immediacy of the trade makes the move a win, now, for the win-now Knicks.

Not only are Burks and Bogdanovic able-bodied — something a large chunk of the Knick rotation cannot say — but they are scorers and play-makers who will infuse offensive production into a barren New York lineup.

“Leon and his staff, their job is to always look at what opportunities are out there, and does something make sense that can make our team better?” Thibodeau said pregame. “And if it does, then you take a good hard look at it. And sometimes, the price is too high and you don’t do it.

“This, it felt like it made sense. It made sense for Detroit, as well, so a good trade for both teams. And it fits what we need right now, but it also fits us going forward.”

* * *

Going forward? Now that’s a scary thought. Particularly if the Knicks can get healthy.

Basketball pundits are fawning over Rose’s course of mid-season action. Sure, Bogdanovic and Burks provide immediate relief for a depleted Knicks team.

Bigger picture, the Knicks addressed their biggest need in a world where they’re at 100% strength: bench depth.

Acquiring Anunoby super-charged the starting lineup by injecting a dominant defensive force who stabilized the Knick offense with three-point shooting and strong finishing at the rim.

Trading Quickley and Barrett, however, removed the two players who captained the second unit. The Knicks rank second-to-last behind only the Phoenix Suns in bench scoring since acquiring Anunoby on New Year’s Day.

In acquiring Bogdanovic and Burks, the Knicks now have instant offense off the bench when Randle, Anunoby and Brunson return to the starting lineup.

Bogdanovic and Burks have combined to average 32 points per game in their last season-and-a-half as teammates in Detroit.

Both are L.A.S.E.R.S. — or high-volume, high-efficiency three-point shooters — in a three-point heavy Thibodeau offense.

Both boast playoff pedigree, too, with Bogdanovic playing on Donovan Mitchell’s Utah Jazz teams, and Burks combining to play 22 playoff games over the course of his career, including five with the Knicks in 2021.

Hart sees the road to a lighter minutes load. So does DiVincenzo.

“You can rely on them to play big minutes,” said Hart. “If I’m not playing well, and OG has to play 38, and Bojan’s gotta play 38, [if] I play 15, well, cool. We have the luxury to do that. And that’s what you want: being able to get into adverse situations and have the luxury of guys being able to step up, play big minutes and have other guys. If it’s not their night, they’re cool with sitting.”

“Proven scorers, proven vets and proven shooters,” added DiVincenzo. “Think it will help us with our depth. What gives us a unique lineup this year once we get them is any given night really you might have some play 30, you might have some guys play 16, 17 if somebody has it going.”

Suddenly, the Knicks — who are optimistic about having a fully healthy roster with a good number of regular-season games left before the playoffs — could have a starting five of Brunson-DiVincenzo-Anunoby-Randle-Hartenstein, then have McBride, Burks, Bogdanovic, Hart, Achiuwa and Robinson coming off the bench.

That doesn’t include Jericho Sims, who survived a hectic trade deadline and gives Thibodeau 12 players to choose from to fill his dedicated nine-man rotation.

“Yeah, I like the makeup of our team. A lot,” he said. “I like our young guys a lot: Jericho and Deuce. Those guys have added a lot to our team. Then if you look at how all it fits together, we added a lot of shooting, which is much needed.”

* * *

Hart spoke this into fruition. After all, history is on Rose’s side when it comes to mid-season trades.

The Knicks were 11-14 when they traded for Derrick Rose at the 2021 NBA trade deadline and finished that season 41-31.

They won nine straight after trading for Hart midway through last season, and the returns on the Anunoby deal are through the roof: The Knicks are 16-4 since the trade and own the second-best record in all of basketball since Jan. 1.

“I don’t know, I feel like we’re a pretty good post-trade team, if you know what I mean,” Hart joked when the Knicks won their first three games after the Anunoby deal. “Maybe we can make some more trades. No one in here. Maybe 2040 picks or something like that, keep it rolling until the trade deadline and we can’t do it anymore.”

The Knicks wanted to keep things rolling. They also wanted to roll into the offseason armed with enough capital to meet the high asking price a superstar suddenly available for trade might command.

Bogdanovic provides an influx of offense now, but he is also due a $19 million salary in the final year of his deal next season. The $19 million figure mirrors Fournier’s non-guaranteed salary cap hit for the 2024-25 season.

The difference, of course, is while Fournier is past his prime as an NBA player, Bogdanovic is a 20 point-per game scorer.

While he is exactly what the doctor ordered for an ailing Knicks team, New York can use Bogdanovic’s contract to match salary if a superstar-level player becomes available on the trade market this summer.

Also, the Knicks only surrendered second-round picks in both the Raptors and Pistons deals.

They own not only each of their own first-round picks through 2031, but also the Mavericks’ top-10 protected first in 2024, Milwaukee’s top-four protected first-rounder in 2025, and a future first-round pick each from both the Detroit Pistons and the Washington Wizards.

In short, Rose found a way not only to maximize New York’s current pursuit of an appearance in the Eastern Conference Finals — or beyond — but also to simultaneously keep the Knicks well positioned to acquire a star in a trade this summer.

Or as Hart simply put: “I think Leon and the front office was cookin’ today.”

Cookin’, indeed.

It’s inspiring for him to hear Madison Square Garden cheer his every move in the latter stages of his career. It’s inspiring for Gibson to hear fans clamoring for head coach Tom Thibodeau to sub him into the game. And it’s inspiring for his teammates to see how he’s able to contribute impactful minutes at 38 years old.

“He’s a true professional,” said starting Knicks guard Donte DiVincenzo. “Whenever he gets the phone call, he shows up in shape ready to go.”

The Knicks signed Gibson to a 10-day contract on Jan. 30, and Thursday’s loss to the Dallas Mavericks marked the final game covered by the deal.

The Knicks can sign him to a second 10-day contract, but as of postgame Thursday, such a decision hadn’t been finalized — yet.

The Knicks are in desperate need of bodies having been ravaged by a slew of mid-season injuries. Mitchell Robinson (ankle surgery), Julius Randle (dislocated shoulder) and OG Anunoby (right elbow surgery) had already gone down before Isaiah Hartenstein left Thursday’s game with a left Achilles injury at halftime.

Thibodeau said the topic of a second 10-day deal for Gibson hadn’t been broached yet.

“I haven’t even had any time – I haven’t talked to Leon,” he said after the game. “So it would be premature to say anything.”

Thibodeau, though, said he’s “hopeful” the Knicks can bring back Gibson on a second 10-day deal.

“It’s obvious. He’s been terrific. On any team, at any time, he’s a great addition,” said Thibodeau. “So I’m hopeful. Leon will get everything and we’ll always do what’s best for the team. But everyone in the organization loves him and has an appreciation for him.”

Gibson, of course, would love to stick around in New York.

He’s from Brooklyn. He still gets the respect of his hometown fans. Plus he knows what Thibodeau wants to do on both ends of the floor, this being his fourth stint for the same head coach. He played for Thibs in Chicago, Minnesota and now twice with the Knicks.

Gibson, though, understands the NBA is a business, and the Knicks will do what they feel is best for the roster — even if it doesn’t mean bringing back a familiar face.

“The staff, management, they’ve been good to me,” he said. “They don’t owe me anything. That’s family, and it’s a blessing. I don’t take it for granted, just to get those phone calls while I’m at home working out, it’s a blessing. Like I said before, I’m appreciative of the opportunity, and this is a great team. So it’s family no matter what.”

For what it’s worth, Josh Hart is a proponent of bringing Gibson back on another 10-day deal.

“For sure, for sure. Obviously, that’s not my call. I don’t got that power,” Hart said. “But for sure I wanna see him back with us. He’s someone that you can always count on, someone that stays ready. … But yeah, he’s done everything we need him to do. So hopefully he’s back with it, but like I said, I don’t call the shots.”

Gibson said being able to contribute at this stage of his career validates all he’s been through to get to this point. He logged 22 minutes off the bench for a Knicks team that desperately needed his help at center.

In those 22 minutes, the Knicks outscored the Mavericks by eight. It was the highest plus-minus of anyone on the team despite Gibson finishing the night scoreless.

“At the end of the day, I was a late first-round pick. I was a little older than everybody in my class,” Gibson said. “To still be sticking around, one of the few guys that’s still left from my class, and then get the respect I still get every game, every night tonight, every team, the coaching staff, I’m just appreciative. It means that I’ve made my bones early, and I’m just trying to continue to just strive and help the guys around me.”

Gibson said it feels like he’s 38 years old — like he’s an old man — because there isn’t much practice time and he’s coming off the bench cold. At this stage of his career, this is what he’s prepared his body for.

He’s appreciative of every opportunity the league brings his way.

“I don’t cheat any steps of the game,” he said. “It’s all about the building process, and just like that out of nowhere, we just got hit with a whole bunch of injuries, so you’ve always gotta be prepared, but you’ve always gotta stay putting your little two cents in every day.”

After injuries to key players and a trade deadline move that sent four players to the Detroit Pistons for two players ineligible to suit up on Thursday, the Knicks entered their matchup against the Dallas Mavericks with just eight players available to compete ahead of tipoff.

Isaiah Hartenstein became the latest Knick to leave the court with an injury in their 122-108 loss.

The Knicks already had a lengthy injured list entering Thursday’s matchup against the Mavericks: Julius Randle (dislocated shoulder), OG Anunoby (right elbow surgery) and Mitchell Robinson (ankle surgery) were already ruled out before head coach Tom Thibodeau announced Jalen Brunson (sprained right ankle) and Jericho Sims (illness) as late scratches.

And with Quentin Grimes, Evan Fournier, Ryan Arcidiacono and Malachi Flynn on outbound flights after a package deal sent them to Detroit in exchange for Bojan Bogdanovic and Alec Burks, an already depleted Knicks roster stretched itself even more thin.

Now, Hartenstein’s availability could be in jeopardy, too,

Mavericks forward Dwight Powell contested Hartenstein’s layup at the rim at the 1:36 mark of the second quarter but landed on the back of Hartenstein’s left leg.

Hartenstein came up limping then played the remaining minute-plus of the first half but never came back to the court for the second half.

Shortly after, the Knicks ruled Hartenstein out for the remainder of the game with a sore left Achilles.

It’s an aggravation of the same injury that cost Hartenstein two games in recent weeks. He missed a Jan. 23 matchup against the Nets at Barclays Center, plus the ensuing game against the tired Denver Nuggets team on Jan. 25.

The Knicks listed Hartenstein as out with left Achilles tendinopathy for those two games. They have just three more games leading into the week-long NBA All-Star break, but two of the three opponents (Indiana and Orlando) are above-.500 Eastern Conference playoff opponents. The third is a Houston Rockets team competing for a Play-In Tournament spot out West.

But it’s concerning, to say the least, for a team that once touted its center depth as the best in all of basketball. Hartenstein is playing on a gimpy Achilles, and Robinson won’t return to on-court activities following his ankle surgery until after the All-Star break.

That leaves Precious Achiuwa, who has played well in recent games, Sims, who is battling an illness, and Taj Gibson, who is 38 years old an on a 10-day contract.

The Knicks lost Thursday’s matchup against the Mavericks, marking just their fourth loss since trading for OG Anunoby on Jan. 1.

With Brunson out, Donte DiVincenzo led the way with 36 points and made seven threes on 12 tries. Josh Hart recorded his second career triple double (23 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds) with both coming this season, Miles McBride added 21 points, six rebounds and five assists, and Achiuwa added 13 points and 16 rebounds.

It was a valiant effort for a depleted Knicks roster but no match for the super-scoring Mavericks, powered by 39 points and seven threes from Luka Doncic. Five Mavericks players scored in double digits. Kyrie Irving finished with 16 points on 17 attempts, and ex-Knicks wing Tim Hardaway Jr. scored 19 points off the bench.

Doncic electrified the Madison Square Garden with a flurry of fourth-quarter threes that stifled a Knicks attempt at a late-game rally. Yet on the possession following a Doncic step-back three, plus a flex on the crowd, the Knicks forced a turnover by sending the double team when he attempted to hero-ball his way into a heat check.

And given the shorthanded roster, minutes piled for those available to play on Thursday. McBride and DiVincenzo, for example, played 45 and 43 minutes, respectively.

Hart played a hair 39 minutes and the 38-year-old Taj Gibson, on a 10-day contract, played 22 minutes off the bench. So did Charlie Brown Jr., who spends most of his time in the G-League with the Westchester Knicks but chipped in to give the Knicks a lift on Thursday.

Jacob Toppin, younger brother of ex-Knick Obi Toppin and a contestant in the upcoming NBA Slam Dunk Contest, also get the nod and scored his first NBA points fittingly on a putback dunk.

The Knicks have two days to rest up before hosting the Pacers. They then travel to Houston, then Orlando, for their final two games before the All-Star break.

“These days are never easy,” Marks said. “The trade deadline is one of those days that have an opportunity to acquire new players, tweak the team a little bit. I look forward to those opportunities, but at the same time it comes with people leaving your Nets family, and that’s never the easiest for anybody.”

The Nets first acquired Dennis Schröder and Thaddeus Young from the Toronto Raptors in exchange for Spencer Dinwiddie. Next, in a three-team deal with the Phoenix Suns and Memphis Grizzlies, they acquired Keita Bates-Diop, Jordan Goodwin and second round draft picks in 2026, 2028 and 2029 in exchange for Royce O’Neale.

Both deals were completed by Thursday evening. Brooklyn waived Young and Harry Giles III. It will also waive Goodwin in the coming days, the Daily News confirmed, which leaves the team with one available roster spot as the regular season continues. Marks did not confirm whether the team will fill its vacant 15th roster spot.

“Like normal, we’ll canvas the league and see who else is out there,” he said. “We’re going to keep our options open for now, for sure.”

Schröder, 30, was averaging 13.7 points and 6.1 assists for Toronto this season, which signed him to a two-year, $26 million contract last summer. Marks said he is a player the team has “focused and followed” for years now.

“I was fortunate enough to be over and watch FIBA last offseason and saw him there as well,” Marks said. “It was great to see how he led Germany and what he did for that team. He brings a little toughness, grit, the things that we’re looking for. It’s going to be fun to get him amongst this locker room and help these guys compete and get out there.”

Schröder attended Thursday’s game at Barclays Center and had his introductory press conference afterward. He said the Raptors did not get in from Charlotte until early Thursday morning and his agent, Mark Bartlestein, woke him up from his sleep in the afternoon to inform him that he had been traded to Brooklyn. It took multiple attempts from Bartlestein until Schröder answered the phone. The news was obviously shocking.

“I mean, having a family, having three kids, a wife, it’s not easy,” Schröder said. “But at the end of the day, nothing really changed. Of course, I go to a new city, new situation; but at the end of the day, we play basketball for a living and really extremely grateful for it. And can’t wait to get to know everybody in the locker room, front office, everybody who is in this organization and get to work.”

Schröder said he ultimately does not care about the circumstances that brought him to Brooklyn. Now that he is here, his only concern is winning.

The Nets fell to 20-31 this season following Thursday’s loss. Schröder said he spent the first half back in the locker room completing his required physicals. He is expected to debut with Brooklyn on Saturday against the San Antonio Spurs.

“I think in any team, when you put your egos to the side and it’s just about winning, I think that’s when you can reach your goals,” Schröder said. “At the end of the day, like I said, it’s my first day here, I knew a couple of guys already, but that’s what I’m about. You know, just being honest, honest conversations, and if you see something we can do better to help the team, we should do it… I think if we head into that direction, we will win a lot of games.”

Marks said creating future flexibility was the franchise’s priority on Thursday, perhaps to go star hunting in the summer for a player like Cleveland’s Donovan Mitchell, who finished with 27 points, five rebounds and four assists in his latest matchup against Brooklyn. The trades put the team about $11 million under the league’s luxury tax threshold.

“We’re looking way down the road here for us,” Marks said. “What’s fitting with our timetable, what’s fitting the group that we’re envisioning… So hopefully we accomplished some of those goals. I think we feel pretty good about it by adding the players we obviously added.

“We know we’re getting some immediate help with Dennis. We obviously like Keita Bates. We’re excited to bring Keita in here, have followed him since Ohio State, so we know the player well. But again, when you’re getting three future draft assets here, I couldn’t tell you how they’re going to be used. But that’s the opportunity for me, that’s the exciting thing for our group… With that said, we’re going to miss a player like Royce immensely. I think Phoenix knows exactly what they’re getting with him.”

Marks did not confirm what the Nets’ timetable will look like in this latest rebuild. He said right now the franchise is focused on player development, specifically guys on the younger end of the spectrum such as Mikal Bridges (27), Cam Thomas (22) and Nic Claxton (24).

“I don’t want to say we’re on a three, four-year timetable — it could be faster than that,” Marks said. “We’ve seen it move quicker in the past.”

Said Bridges, “Everybody just wants to get better and we got the guys to do it.”

And for fans who are unsure of the Nets’ current direction, Marks tried to address their concerns, too.

“I have the utmost faith in this group, this group of players and this staff to go out there and put a sustainable product on the floor,” he said. “That’s going to be a goal here, to compete night in and night out — something that the fans can get behind. The right brand of basketball. We’ve talked about the “Brooklyn grit” all the time. That’s what it takes to survive in this borough. That’s the brand that we’re going to have to play out there and that’s behind some of the acquisitions and trades that we’ve made over the course of the last 24 hours.”

The Los Angeles Lakers unveiled a statue of Kobe Bryant on Thursday, honoring their late superstar with a 19-foot bronze likeness outside their downtown arena.

The 4,000-pound statue depicts Bryant in his white No. 8 jersey with his right index finger raised as he walked off the court following his 81-point performance against the Toronto Raptors in January 2006.

Bryant’s widow, Vanessa, said during the dedication ceremony that the statue is the first of three that will be created to honor the five-time NBA champion and top scorer in Lakers history. Another statue will feature Bryant in his No. 24 jersey, which he wore for the second half of his career, while a third will depict Bryant and his daughter, Gianna, who died with him and seven others in a helicopter crash in January 2020.

“This statue may look like Kobe, but really it’s what excellence looks like,” Kareem Abdul-Jabbar said. “What discipline looks like. What commitment looks like. … It captures a person frozen in time, while at the same time acknowledges that the reason there is a statue in the first place is because that person is timeless. We’re all here today to honor a man who represents not just extraordinary sports achievement, but also timeless values that inspire us all to try harder to be not just better, but our best.”

The first statue was unveiled at a ceremony attended by dozens of Lakers greats and hundreds of season ticket holders. Vanessa Bryant spoke at the ceremony after remarks from team owner Jeanie Buss, former teammate Derek Fisher, Abdul-Jabbar and longtime Lakers coach Phil Jackson.

“I think of Kobe constantly, and I miss him and Gigi more than words can say,” Buss said. “But today, I’m filled with joy because in the future, I know fans will gather here in the shade of this statue beside this building where Kobe gave us so many memories, and we will share what he meant to us. As we do so, we will motivate a new generation to emulate the Mamba Mentality.”

Bryant retired in 2016 after a 20-year career spent entirely with the Lakers. He is the fourth-leading scorer in NBA history with 33,643 points, and his accolades included 18 NBA All-Star selections and two NBA Finals MVP awards.

His death has scarcely dimmed the shine of his presence in Los Angeles, where he remains a beloved icon of his adopted city. Bryant and his daughter are featured in hundreds of vibrant public murals across the Southland.

Even before Bryant’s death, Lakers fans speculated about the pose or image that would be immortalized in his statue. While the announcement of three statues changes the argument, Vanessa Bryant said there shouldn’t be a debate at all: Kobe himself chose the pose for the first statue before his death.

“Kobe has so many people that have supported him all over the world from the very beginning, and this moment isn’t just for Kobe, but it’s for all of you that have been rooting for him all of these years,” she said. “To the fans here in LA, this is a special city Kobe was so proud to represent. You welcomed him with open arms and have been so important to him, our family, and his legacy.

“It brings me joy to see how much love you have for all of us. We love you back.”

The statue’s base reads: “Kobe Bean Bryant,” with his nickname, “Black Mamba,” carved below. The triangular platform — a nod to Jackson assistant Tex Winter’s famed triangle offense, the bedrock of the Lakers’ success in the 2000s — is surrounded by five replicas of the Larry O’Brien Trophy.

The base includes the box score from his 81-point game and a QR code for fans to watch highlights of the performance. A Bryant quote is also featured: “Leave the game better than you found it. And when it comes time for you to leave, leave a legend.”

Bryant is the sixth Lakers player and seventh team employee to be honored with a statue in Star Plaza outside of the arena known as Staples Center throughout Bryant’s career. He joins Shaquille O’Neal, Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, Jerry West, Elgin Baylor and Lakers announcer Chick Hearn.

“He wasn’t just a champion,” Fisher said. “He was unmatched. A rare specimen that left opposing players in awe, teammates inspired. He didn’t just play the game. He defined it. That’s really what it was like to be around him on a daily basis. He set the standard. He broke records. The legacy he leaves behind are foundations upon which current players and future players build their dreams.”

The 30-year-old was traded to the Toronto Raptors earlier in the afternoon in exchange for Dennis Schröder and Thaddeus Young. Dinwiddie and Young were later released and will test the buyout market. Schröder will join the Nets in the coming days.

“I want everyone to have success in this league,” Vaughn said. “I appreciate Spencer for being a part of our group and want nothing but success for him moving forward.”

Schröder has one year left on his current deal worth $13 million. He averaged 13.7 points and 6.1 assists across 51 games for Toronto this season. Vaughn shared his thoughts on what he thinks the 30-year-old will bring to the Nets’ backcourt.

“I’ll look at it from a coaching perspective and what Dennis brings, I can give you that: A guy that is going to compete on a nightly basis, has the ability to get to the paint, thinks like a point guard where it’s sharing the basketball, getting the group set, getting downhill,” Vaughn said. “But a guy who’s won on a high level, whether that’s with his national team, and had commanded respect from that team and that coaching staff. So a guy that I look forward to coaching because of the competitive nature that he’ll bring to our locker room.”

INJURY UPDATES

Lonnie Walker IV, who missed his second straight game on Thursday because of left hamstring tightness, will likely return to the court on Saturday against the San Antonio Spurs. Meanwhile, Cam Johnson, who also missed his second straight game on Thursday, has already been ruled out for Saturday.

“That’s about as updated as I can give you,” Vaughn said. “We’ll see what Cam Johnson looks like next week, but Lonnie has the ability to possibly play on Saturday.”

Vaughn added that Day’Ron Sharpe, who has not played since Jan. 7 because of a hyperextended left knee, has yet to advance to contact work. He likely will not return to action until after the All-Star break.

No updates were provided for Dorian-Finney Smith, who missed his sixth straight game on Thursday.

SHORT-HANDED AGAIN

Perhaps the NBA should consider not playing games on trade deadline day at some point in the future, because already injured teams like the Nets who decide to shake up the roster become even more short-handed.

Brooklyn had just nine active players against Cleveland: Mikal Bridges, Cam Thomas, Ben Simmons, Nic Claxton, Dennis Smith Jr., Trendon Watford, Jalen Wilson, Noah Clowney and Keon Johnson.

Wilson, a rookie forward out of Kansas, received his first NBA start in light of the Nets’ absences. Simmons started consecutive games for the first time since November. Bridges, Thomas and Claxton rounded out the first five on Thursday.

The Knicks announced on Thursday that Anunoby underwent a procedure to remove a loose bone fragment in his right, shooting elbow.

It is a minor procedure, and Anunoby is expected to resume basketball activities in three weeks.

Anunoby tried resting his elbow as a method of recovery, but surgery was viewed as the quickest and most effective way for him to return to action at 100 percent health. The team is optimistic Anunoby will be for the latter stretch of the regular season and the postseason, where his presence will be felt for a team hoping to build on last season’s appearance in the second round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.

“Like all players coming back from an injury, there will be a ramp up and then, that’s — we’re hopeful for [Anunoby’s return at 100 percent for the end of the season]. But he’s gonna miss some time,” head coach Tom Thibodeau said ahead of tipoff against the Dallas Mavericks on Thursday. “But he’s in great shape. I said this about Julius [Randle] the other day: The fact that they’re in great shape makes that easier to transition back to. It’s not like they’re not in good shape and then they get in worse shape, and then it’s a longer road back. I think the road back will be quick for both guys.”

The Knicks initially listed Anunoby as day-to-day with right elbow inflammation, but on Wednesday, they adjusted the injury report to reflect Anunoby as out with bone spur irritation.

Thibodeau said he was uncertain what day Anunoby underwent the procedure but noted the surgery occurred this week.

Anunoby last played on Jan. 27 against the Miami Heat. Thursday’s matchup against the Dallas Mavericks marked the sixth straight game he missed due to his elbow injury.

Thibodeau said he was unsure if Anunoby’s elbow injury predated the trade.

“It’s hard to say when it exactly happened because it was the inflammation first, and these things are not uncommon,” he said. “When you play in 50 games, most players are nicked up with something at this time of the year. So it was inflammation and we thought we could get through it, and unfortunately that didn’t happen.

“Then you gather the information, you consult the experts and you make a decision. So the process of what we did I think was really good, and obviously OG’s a big part of it, his agent is a big part of it, and then our medical team. So this is the best course of action for us.”

The provided injury timeline means Anunoby will miss — at minimum — the Knicks’ next nine games. The 2024 NBA All-Star break falls in the middle of his recovery period, which softens the blow for a Knicks team in need of its star forward back on the floor.

The Knicks have been dominant since the trade that sent R.J. Barrett, Immanuel Quickley and a 2024 second-round pick via the Detroit Pistons to the Toronto Raptors in the deal that landed Anunoby, Precious Achiuwa and Malachi Flynn — who was dealt to the Pistons ahead of Thursday’s 3 p.m. trade deadline in the move that sent Alec Burks and Bojan Bogdanovic to New York.

The Knicks went 12-2 in Anunoby’s first 14 games in New York and entered Thursday’s matchup against the Mavericks with a 16-3 record since Jan. 1.

Only the Cleveland Cavaliers boast a better record during that stretch with a 15-2 record since the turn of the calendar year.

Anunoby averaged 15.1 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.8 steals and 1.1 blocks per game since his arrival in New York, shooting 51.6% from the field and 39.1% from three-point range. The Knicks outscored their opponents by 252 points across the 14 games he played before his injury.

Anunoby’s shoulder surgery compounds a mounting injury problem for the Knicks, who are now down three starters: Julius Randle is also out an extended period of time after dislocating his right shoulder in the same Jan. 27 matchup against the Heat, and Mitchell Robinson has been out since Dec. 8 after a stress fracture in his left ankle required surgery.

Robinson is set to resume on-court activity after the All-Star break.

Softening the blow dealt by Anunoby’s injury, however, are the moves made by an active front office that addressed its weaknesses ahead of the trade deadline.

The Knicks traded Quentin Grimes, Evan Fournier, Ryan Arcidiacono and Malachi Flynn to the Pistons for Burks and Bogdanovic.

Bogdanovic has averaged 20 points per game in a season-and-a-half in Detroit, and Burks is a reliable three-point shooter with playmaking instincts and positional size to guard the wing.

The Knicks may be without Anunoby — and both Randle and Robinson — for some time, but they have positioned themselves to have a deep roster when they return to full health.

In getting elbow surgery now, the Knicks are hopeful Anunoby returns to full health for the latter stretch of the season.

They became a much better basketball team when they signed Jalen Brunson, the best point guard they’ve had since Clyde, as a free agent away from the Mavericks. They got even better when they lengthened their wings and really lengthened their team by trading for OG Anunoby (who will miss at least the next 3 weeks after undergoing elbow surgery). Everybody can see how they’ve looked and how they’ve played since that trade, even after Julius Randle and Anunoby got hurt.

But now Leon Rose makes this kind of move at the trade deadline for the kind of player, Bogdanovic, who is exactly this in a season when he’s averaging 20 a game, even at the age of 34:

Someone who can be the third-best player on a contending team.

It is what the Knicks are when they are whole again: They are a contender again. Rose is signaling to the rest of the league that he believes he has the horses to make a run. His team was sitting right there at No. 4 in their conference when he made this trade, two games behind the Cavaliers in the loss column, whom they beat in the playoffs last year, and tied with the Bucks, and who knows what the Bucks are going to look like in the spring.

At the same time the Knicks are six games behind the Celtics, which means six behind the best record in the league. Even with this trade, the Knicks still don’t have the horses the Celtics do, especially if old friend Kristaps Porzingis remains healthy. But when was the last time the Knicks looked at first place in the Eastern Conference and didn’t feel as if it were as distant a sight from 33rd St. as Yankee Stadium?

The Knicks have made big moves before. They made one for Carmelo Anthony once, another February, 13 years ago. But they were a 28-26 team when they made that trade with the Nuggets, and even though they would win 54 games a couple of years later. No one thought they would make a run in that 2010-11 season.

No. This move at least has a chance to be as big as the one for Latrell Sprewell turned out to be 25 years ago, one that changed everything for the Knicks of 1998-99 despite the fact that they would end up finishing No. 8 in the East. No one knew when the trade happened, but Sprewell becoming a Knick was the beginning of one of the most exciting rides the Knicks have ever had, one that included knocking off the No. 1 Heat and going all the way to the NBA Finals.

Do Bojan and Burks mean that is going to happen again?

It would be silly to game this out that far, with this much season left, and not knowing when Randle is going to be back, because no one is sure about that, whatever smiley-faces the Knicks are putting on his recovery. But Heat Culture isn’t doing much good for Pat Riley so far this season. Joel Embiid just had knee surgery, and will be evaluated in a month, and then we’ll see where he is and where the Sixers are.

You know where the Knicks are going to be in a couple of weeks, though? Playing the Celtics at the Garden, at which point the Knicks that have been reimagined since the start of the season get a chance to see how they match up against the best team in the league. For that one night, and maybe more nights like it the rest of the way, Knicks vs. Celtics might feel like a fair fight again.

The Knicks aren’t the only team that gets better at the deadline, of course. The Sixers make it clear that they’re not throwing in the towel by making a trade for Buddy Hield. Still: In the early afternoon of the trade deadline, the biggest noise came from the Knicks.

There was a feeling around the league that the Sixers might try to get Bogdanovic away from the Pistons. The Knicks got him instead. As their sport moves up on what always feels like its traditional halfway point, despite the number of games that have been played, the Knicks officially make their fans believe that their own season is just starting.

No one knew back in February of ’99 where the combination of Sprewell and Allan Houston in the same backcourt would take the Knicks. Everybody sure found out in the spring, as the Knicks were on their way back to the Finals for the first time since ‘94. Here’s what Knicks GM Ernie Grunfeld said at the time of the Sprewell trade:

“Sprewell is an explosive offensive player. He’s a fierce competitor. I think he’s committed to winning.”

Bogdanovich isn’t the explosive player Sprewell was. Few the Knicks have ever had played with that kind of fire. But Sprewell had averaged 21 points a game in the five full seasons before the Knicks got him. Bogdanovich has averaged 18. He’s one of those guys whose real position is basketball player.

The Knicks took their own position on Thursday: They don’t want to be stuck in the middle any longer. Seriously.

Young won’t stay on the Nets’ roster since the team intends to waive the veteran.

Dinwiddie began his second NBA stint with the Nets last season after the Dallas Mavericks traded him, Dorian Finney-Smith and future picks to Brooklyn as part of the Kyrie Irving deal. The 30-year-old started 48 games this season, averaging 12.6 points, 3.3 rebounds and 6.0 assists on abysmal 39.1/32.0/78.1 splits.

Some drew conclusions throughout this season that Dinwiddie did not want to be a Net, citing different examples of poor body language and, at times, uninspired play. If Brooklyn was unable to trade Dinwiddie by the deadline, there was a rumor floating around social media on Wednesday night that he would be bought out. However, Dinwiddie debunked those rumors himself, saying that they were not true.

And while Dinwiddie was in the social media spotlight, he also said he has “never been a quitter” and everyone within the Nets’ locker room wanted to win.

The Athletic reported that Dinwiddie will be waived by Toronto to avoid paying a $1.5 million bonus in his contract for games played, so the buyout market is ultimately where he landed.

Dinwiddie will be replaced in Brooklyn’s rotation by Schröder, an 11-year NBA veteran who was the MVP of the FIBA World Cup last summer as Germany went undefeated and won gold. He has one year left on his current deal worth $13 million. He started 33 games for the Raptors this season, averaging 13.7 points and 6.1 assists on 44.2/35.0/85.2 splits.

Young, 35, was on an $8 million expiring deal and was slated to be an unrestricted free agent this summer. He was traded to Toronto two seasons ago and has also had stints in Philadelphia, Minnesota, Brooklyn, Indiana, Chicago and San Antonio. The 6-8 forward has appeared in just 23 games this season.

Shortly after the Dinwiddie-Schröder swap was announced, The News confirmed forward Royce O’Neale would be heading to the Phoenix Suns as part of a three-team deal with the Memphis Grizzlies.

O’Neale, who was traded from the Utah Jazz to Brooklyn last season, averaged 7.4 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.8 assists across 49 games this season, primarily as a reserve.

The full details of the trade are still murky, but as the Nets now look to open up roster spots with the Suns reportedly sending out three players on minimum salaries, Harry Giles III was the first casualty.

Giles, who returned to the NBA this season after missing the previous two, has been waived by Brooklyn. He appeared in just 16 games this season and has not been playing meaningful minutes in recent weeks, even with Finney-Smith and Day’Ron Sharpe injured.

Deadline day saw the Mavericks make much-needed front-court renovations, the slumping 76ers add sharpshooter Buddy Hield to their ailing offense and the Thunder take a chance on oft-injured Gordon Hayward as they push for the Western Conference’s top seed.

Among the busiest teams Thursday were the red-hot Knicks, who bolstered a banged-up roster by acquiring Bojan Bogdanovic and Alec Burks from Detroit, and the ice-cold Nets, who sent Spencer Dinwiddie to Toronto for Dennis Shroder and old friend Thaddeus Young. Brooklyn later shipped Royce O’Neale to the Suns as well.

Here’s what happened around the rest of the NBA before Thursday’s 3 p.m. deadline.

76ERS ADD HIELD, SEND BEVERLY TO BUCKS

Injury-plagued Philadelphia added the 3-point specialist they badly needed in Hield, sending forward Marcus Morris, guard Furkan Korkmaz and three second-round picks to the Pacers to make it happen, according to ESPN.

Hield, a career 40.1% 3-point shooter averaging 12.0 points per game this season, joins a Sixers squad that entered Thursday ranked 27th in the NBA with only 11.4 made 3-pointers per game.

The 31-year-old Hield offers another scoring option for free-falling Philadelphia, which will be without superstar center Joel Embiid for at least four weeks after a knee procedure.

In a separate deal, the Sixers sent veteran point Patrick Beverly to the Bucks for guard Cam Payne and a second-round pick.

Knicks acquire Alec Burks, Bojan Bogdanovic from Pistons in NBA Trade Deadline move: reports

THUNDER RETOOL WITH GORDON HAYWARD

Oklahoma City, which began Thursday in a three-way tie atop the Western Conference, added a veteran reinforcement in Hayward, who still averages a respectable 14.5 points, 4.7 rebounds and 4.6 assists when he’s able to suit up.

The Thunder shipped little-used backup point guard Tre Mann, even-littler-used shooter Davis Bertans, guard Vasilije Micic and draft compensation to the 10-40 Hornets, ESPN reported.

Hayward, who hasn’t played in over a month due to multiple leg injuries, is in the final year of a four-year, $120 million deal.

MILES BRIDGES STAYING IN CHARLOTTE

Despite receiving interest from contenders including the Suns, Bridges decided to veto any trades and play out the rest of the season with lowly Charlotte, his agent told ESPN.

Doing so lets Bridges become an unrestricted free agent this summer and keeps his Bird Rights with the Hornets, who can exceed the salary cap and offer him a max deal in the offseason.

Bridges, who is averaging a career-high 21.9 points per game, did not play last season and was suspended the first 10 games of this one amid allegations of domestic violence.

Nets trade Spencer Dinwiddie to Raptors for Dennis Schröder, Thaddeus Young, also ship out Royce O’Neale

DEROZAN, MURRAY ALSO STAY PUT

Other widely rumored trade targets who ended up not moving were Bulls star DeMar DeRozen, high-scoring Atlanta guard Dejounte Murray and versatile Toronto guard Bruce Brown.

Trade rumors involving Murray, who signed a four-year extension last summer, and Brown, who has an upcoming $23 million team option, figure to resume this offseason. DeRozen, meanwhile, is set to become a free agent.

MAVS BULK UP WITH DANIEL GAFFORD

Badly in need of center help, the Mavericks acquired Daniel Gafford from the Wizards in exchange for Richaun Holmes and draft compensation, ESPN reported.

The 6-10 Gafford started all 45 of his games with Washington this season, averaging 10.9 points and 8.0 rebounds. His 2.2 blocks per game rank seventh in the NBA.

Gafford joins a Mavericks front court that includes promising rookie center Dereck Lively, who was ruled out of his fifth consecutive game Thursday against the Knicks with a broken nose.

Despite the Mavericks’ depth issues, the center Holmes averaged only 3.4 points in 10.3 minutes over 23 appearances this season, his first with Dallas.

DALLAS ADDS PERIMETER PUNCH, TOO

The Mavericks continued to make moves after getting Gafford, agreeing to acquire forward PJ Washington and two second-round picks from the Hornets for forward Grant Williams, guard Seth Curry and a 2027 first-rounder, according to The Athletic.

Washington is averaging 13.6 points per game on 44.6% shooting. He shot better than 36% on 3-pointers in three separate seasons but is making only 32.4% of his attempts from deep this year.

Like Holmes, the Mavericks acquired Williams and Curry last offseason. Also like Holmes, both disappointed. The first-round pick in Thursday’s deal is top-two protected.

RAPTORS STAY BUSY, ADD KELLY OLYNYK

Trading for Dinwiddie wasn’t Toronto’s only move Thursday.

The Raptors also acquired center Kelly Olynyk and 23-year-old guard Ochai Agbaji from the Jazz for forward Otto Porter Jr., 22-year-old guard Kira Lewis Jr. and a 2024 first-round pick, according to The Athletic.

The first-rounder going back to Utah will reportedly be whichever of the Thunder, Clippers, Rockets or Jazz picks currently owned by Toronto ends up being the least desirable.

Thursday’s deals follow the Raptors trading OG Anunoby and Precious Achiuwa to the Knicks and Pascal Siakim to the Pacers in recent weeks.

LAKERS STAND PAT

Unlike last February, when the LeBron James-led Lakers overhauled their roster at the deadline, Los Angeles stood pat this year.

It remains to be seen how that inactivity sits with James, who sent social media into a tizzy last week when he posted an hourglass emoji on X. Many interpreted the post as a not-so-subtle nudge for Lakers management to make a deal.

The Lakers entered Thursday at 27-25, good for ninth in the Western Conference.

OTHER DEALS

Smaller deadline deals, as reported by ESPN, include Doug McDermott to the Pacers … Danuel House to the Pistons … Jaden Springer to the Celtics … Dalano Banton to the Trail Blazers … and Robin Lopez to the Kings, who are expected to waive him.