This summer can’t come any sooner. As Knick fans have already mentally prepared themselves for excitement, or for a letdown.
On February 1st, 2019, the Knicks traded star forward Kristaps Porzingis, Courtney Lee, Tim Hardaway Jr, and Trey Burke to the Dallas Mavericks for Wesley Matthews, DeAndre Jordan, Dennis Smith Jr, and two future first round picks. The Knicks have since bought out swingman Wesley Matthews and big man Enes Kanter.
On the surface, the trade seemed to be beneficial on both sides. In Dallas, Porzingis has already gone on record saying he’s on board with Dallas long term. With moving Harrison Barnes off the payroll, they can look to make a big splash in the coming years. In New York, Dennis Smith Jr has shown his potential as a star guard, averaging 19 points and 6 assists in his first 4 games as the lead playmaker. DeAndre Jordan has been a steady hand: averaging a double double, assisting in the development of rookie Mitchell Robinson, and most importantly serving as a bargaining chip to lure superstar free agents. Namely, friend and reigning Finals MVP, Kevin Durant.
For both teams, a lot of variables must fall in line for the trade to be deemed a success. However for the Knicks, their track record leaves the fanbase divided in opinion once again.
For the optimistic, the Knicks have opened up cap space to sign multiple max contracts, as well have as the opportunity to draft a top 3 prospect this summer. The camps of Kyrie Irving, Kevin Durant, and now Anthony Davis all have their eye on ending up in New York. The upside of this deal could see a trio of some capacity, as well as the drafting the rights of Duke star, Zion Williamson. That can not only set the Knicks up as title contenders in the east, but could reconstruct the orange and blue as a winner, something that has eluded them since the days of Pat Riley.
And with the budding All-Star Kristaps Porzingis not buying into the Knick organization’s plans, it was ideal for them to do away with him before his temperament in the organization, as well as his trade stock, became an issue.
Still, this trade essentially makes them playing roulette, hoping to strike big. Again, the Knicks organization are no strangers to this.
From the years of 2008-2010, the organization offloaded contracts of guys such as Jamal Crawford, Zach Randolph, amongst others on the quest to sign the-then-25 year old, and reigning 2x MVP LeBron James in the 2010 offseason. It ended up being the former Knick coach Pat Riley, head of basketball operations for Miami at the time, winning the sweepstakes, compiling a big 3 that would go on to go to 4 straight finals appearances, winning two in that span. The Knicks, who at this point lost their biggest asset in David Lee to the Warriors, would effectively trade their young core over that 3 year span for an A’mare Stoudemire/Carmelo Anthony tandem that would fare as well collectively as the group they traded away in the first place.
While the situation is not the same in its entirety, the intent behind it is the same: make the moves to land a free agent in their prime in year “X”. And to be fair, the Knicks have played it as well as they could acquiring some assets along the way that the Donnie Walsh Knicks did not have the luxury of having. Still, by trading away one of the team’s biggest assets on their rookie deal for the chance of landing three big names in offseason raises some concern.
Before, it relied on getting KP back to what he was, drafting well and signing a free agent that will compliment the offensive scheme. Now it relies upon getting the #1 pick in the lottery, then to trading the pick for AD, and signing two other stars to max contracts.
If all of these variables come to fruition, then it opens up more questions of what will come of the young core the Knicks have. Everyone from Frank Ntilikina and Dennis Smith Jr to Mitchell Robinson MUST be expendable if they wanted to sign a Kyrie and KD. And once the turnover is complete, their final objective must be achieved: to win.
With the Riley factor, Boston, and Los Angeles’ plea coming into effect this summer, a lot is up in the air on what may happen. It will take a lot to have James Dolan and Steve Mills beat them out on their quest for the league’s new contender. But again, that’s just a matter of them rolling the dice.
By: J.J. Louis
1204 Sports 