Knicks Trade Rumors: Pros, Cons Of Pursuing Wilson Chandler

Con: The Cost

The reality of making this trade is that the New York Knicks would have to give up at least one player they covet. Dealing a first-round draft pick simply isn’t an option, but that doesn’t mean New York wouldn’t lose value to get value.

If the Knicks are going to make a trade for Wilson Chandler, then the Denver Nuggets would likely ask for Kyle O’Quinn in return.

Denver has a surplus of big men, but it’s common knowledge that the front office is attempting to trade Kenneth Faried and Jusuf Nurkic. Nikola Jokic has emerged as the star of the future and neither Faried nor Nurkic has solidified their place alongside him.

O’Quinn, meanwhile, complements Jokic well as a shot-blocking big men with similar offensive skills: passing, offensive rebounding, and overall tenacity.

New York could include Lance Thomas to sweeten the deal, but Denver may ask for Courtney Lee or Justin Holiday instead. Head coach Michael Malone has a bevy of shooting guards, but would lack a veteran two-way presence to mentor the young guns without Chandler.

The question for Phil Jackson will be: can he afford to give up a promising talent and invaluable locker room presence like O’Quinn, or an omnipresent role player like Holiday?