Knicks Wanted to Trade for Goran Dragic, Enes Kanter

The New York Knicks didn’t make much noise at the 2015 NBA Trade Deadline. They dealt players for cap space throughout the season, but failed to land a true marquee player at any point.

That doesn’t necessarily mean they didn’t try.

Phil Jackson struck out in free agency, but he made a concerted to land two foreign-born players with skills that fit the Triangle Offense. Whether or not the targets were realistic, they offered a look inside the mind of the Knicks’ front office.

During an interview with Charley Rosen of ESPN, Jackson revealed that the first of two targets was Goran Dragic:

"“Goran Dragic, for one. I heard through the grapevine that he was open to coming here. We worked hard on that possibility, but the asking price was too dear. Maybe we worked on that possibility so much so that it distracted us. I mean, Dragic is every team’s current choice for a nuclear option — a guard who can penetrate and either score or kick. Guys like Chris Paul and James Harden. But, anyway, that’s not really the way I want us to play.”"

The final comments tell a critical story: it’s all about the system in New York City.

Dragic’s skill set would actually fit the Knicks’ system better than he’s being given credit for. He, “Can penetrate and either score or kick,” as Jackson said, but he can also keep the ball moving along the perimeter and work to create offense with his bigs.

It certainly doesn’t hurt that Dragic is a career 36.1 percent shooter from beyond the arc.

After Dragic, the Knicks were interested in acquiring a big man who could solidify the offensive interior. That’s a vital piece of the puzzle for any team, specifically one that runs the Triangle Offense.

Per Rosen, the preferred player was Enes Kanter.

"“We were also interested in guys like Enes Kanter, Arron Afflalo. … Guys we thought could be good fits in our game plan. We weighed all of our options, but, obviously, none of those things came to be. Actually, no really serious discussions took place until about two, three hours before the trading deadline. It was all kind of chaotic and totally fascinating.”"

Kanter would’ve fit the Triangle Offense quite well.

He’s at his best when running the pick-and-roll, but Kanter’s back-to-the-basket game is worth writing about. He can score in isolation and has the rebounding ability to create second-chance scoring opportunities.

Kanter is also one of the worst defenders in the league, boasting an opponent field goal percentage at the rim of—wait, what?—56.9 percent in 2014-15, per NBA.com.

That’s the eternal debate: is Kanter’s offensive upside worth the defensive drop-off?

Both players would’ve greatly helped the offensive flow, which is nothing short of a missed opportunity with Carmelo Anthony serving as the No. 1 scoring option. Fortunately, New York will have the 2016 period of free agency to reload.

Until then, all missed opportunities will be glorified and dramatized for months on end.

Next: The New York Knicks are interested in signing free agent big man Kevin Seraphin

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