The New York Knicks have traded Kristaps Porzingis for Dennis Smith Jr. and two lottery tickets. The cornerstone of the franchise was apparently only worth a disgruntled guard, a cadaver, and a second center on an expiring deal to either take minutes from Mitchell Robinson or be angry about not playing.
Maybe DeAndre Jordan and Enes Kanter can start a support group for each other? Let’s delve deeper into why this deal makes no sense for the present and its promise for the future is dubious at best.
The breakdown:
The Knicks currently have Emmanuel Mudiay starting at point guard, Alonzo Trier developing and getting minutes, Frank Ntikilinas usefulness still needs to be determined, and there’s Dameyan Dotson.
Adding Dennis Smith Jr. To that backcourt is a curious move and may be a signal the team is either done with Frankie or not interested in retaining Mudiay. Punting on Frank for DSJ is almost like giving the team a redo for the 2017 NBA draft, and all they had to give up was the best player the franchise has drafted since Patrick Ewing.
Conversely, the team may say Frank compliments Smith and will be shifting him off the ball again. I guess saying a shooting guard that’s afraid to shoot compliments a selfish gunner is true in the sense that adult diapers compliment incontinence but I’m not particularly enthused about living with either combination in my life. I guess your perspective just depends.
The most ridiculous aspect of the deal:
The Jordan acquisition makes even less sense unless there’s a plan to trade or buy him out immediately. As I mentioned the Knicks already have one disgruntled one-dimensional center on a one year deal, they really don’t need a second. I don’t think DeAndre will be particularly enthused about the deal either which should do wonders for the team’s chemistry.
I do however appreciate the comedy of Jordan finally ending up with the Mavs after his previous free agency debacle and Mark Cuban doing this to him. Being traded to the Knicks can now be seen as a punitive measure, always a good sign for a franchise.
The two picks being acquired are for 2021 and 2023 and have lottery protections, I also read that Dallas included some magic beans and Chris Gatling. If Porzingis and Doncic click then the picks will be garbage because Dallas will be drafting at the end of the first round, and if Porzingis can’t stay healthy and Dallas bottoms out then the picks won’t come the Knicks way for years….savvy move.
This brings us to the last element of the trade, dumping Tim Hardaway Jr and Courtney Lee’s deals for the decomposing remains of Wesley Matthews. The only way this trade makes any sense for the Knicks is if they KNOW they are getting two max players this offseason.
Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and Kemba Walker are the names most often being floated, and since this is the hopeful part of the story I won’t dwell on how two of those players are ball dominant point guards that would have no interest in playing with DSJ.
I suppose Anthony Davis, Kawhi Leonard and Jimmy Butler are also theoretically in play via trade or free agency as well but trading for Davis would require giving up the Knicks lottery pick, Kevin Knox, future assets and would gut the team the way they Anthony trade did. Leonard has shown no interest in NY and Jimmy Butler has not exactly made himself out to be the best leader/teammate in his 3 previous stops.
That leaves the Durant/Kyrie pipe dream as the Knicks sole shot at this trade not being a disaster. I don’t see either guy coming to NY, so the team may be left with Kemba Walker and whatever’s left to fill out the roster. The last time they went all in on free agency the Knicks missed out on Lebron and ended up with Amare Stoudemire and his paper mache knees. Let’s hope we start hearing about the Knicks tampering real soon or it’s going to be a long offseason.