Magic Johnson: Knicks Have 'Real Shot' at NBA Finals After Bogdanovic, Burks Trade

NBA legend Magic Johnson is a believer in the New York Knicks' championship dreams after Thursday's trade deadline yielded Bojan Bogdanovic and Alec Burks from the Detroit Pistons.

Magic is a believer in Leon Rose's trade deadline wizardry.

Count NBA legend Magic Johnson among those impressed by the New York Knicks' transaction developments on Thursday, which saw Rose and Co. add Bojan Bogdanovic and Alec Burks from the Detroit Pistons hours before the NBA trade deadline. Perhaps most impressively, the Knicks' sacrifice was rather tolerable: the only member of the active rotation involved in the deal was the injured Quentin Grimes and no first-round picks were sent away.

Already on a roll in the new year, Thursday's events undoubtedly raised the Knicks' ceiling, one that Johnson believes may now reside in mid-June.

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With the Knicks acquiring Bojan Bogdanovic (averaging 20.2 points per game and 41.5 percent from three-point range) and Alec Burks (averaging 12.7 points per game and 40.1% from three-point range), I think they have a real shot of playing not just in the Eastern Conference Finals, but the NBA Finals!" Johnson lauded in a pair of posts on X. "Congratulations to my good friends Knicks President Leon Rose and Executive Vice President William Wesley, AKA Wes, on acquiring three big pickups during this trade season (Bogdanovic, Burks, and (OG) Anunoby). It was nice hanging out with them in their green room last Saturday at the Knicks vs Lakers game!"

Despite his long-standing connections to the Los Angeles Lakers (who visited Madison Square Garden on Saturday), Johnson has long been a fan of the Knicks, remarking that New York would be the one NBA team he'd be willing to add to his financial portfolio in September. Even without Johnson's help, the Knicks seem poised for big things this postseason, even with several major injuries decimating the rotation. 

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Even though the Knicks are equipped with new brands of hope, it's perhaps best not to expect much in their next game: with Bogdanovic and Burks on their way over and several reserves dealt to Detroit (not to mention injuries to Jalen Brunson, Julius Randle, and Mitchell Robinson), the Knicks will likely be severely shorthanded when they face the Dallas Mavericks on Thursday night at Madison Square Garden (7:30 p.m. ET, TNT).