New York Knicks: Five Reasons Kristaps Porzingis Shouldn’t Be Traded

2. Falling Into Old Habits

The New York Knicks have an uncanny ability to trade any form of a future for a temporarily effective return. That much is proven by the fact that New York’s had two lottery picks and three postseason appearances since 2009, as well as the fact that it traded its starting lineup for Carmelo Anthony in 2011.

Trading the players who represent a sustainable future for an established talent hasn’t worked out for the Knicks in the past—see: Anthony, Antonio McDyess, and so forth..

It’s time to try a new approach.

Acquiring Anthony was an undeniably brilliant move, but the amount New York gave up for a pending free agent remains a point of contention. The Knicks traded three starters from a team that was on pace to make the playoffs—all of whom were young and on the rise.

Had the Knicks waited a mere five months to sign Anthony in free agency, it would’ve been able to surround him with a promising young core that included Wilson Chandler, Raymond Felton, Danilo Gallinari, and Timofey Mozgov.

Every one of those players were on team-friendly deals, which means New York could have still added Anthony and Tyson Chandler to the roster.

The decision to acquire Anthony resulted in a strong three-year period, but the trade itself cost New York dearly. It’s missed the playoffs in four consecutive seasons, primarily due to the fact that it developed no young talent whatsoever alongside Anthony.

When the aging core lost its luster, the Knicks’ abandonment of personnel development proved to be its downfall. It can’t afford to make that same mistake again.

Even if Kristaps Porzingis isn’t the future face of the franchise, he’s certainly a player who can attract free agents and complement a true superstar.