Knicks Trade Rumors: Pros and cons of targeting Kawhi Leonard

Multiple teams are expected to contact the San Antonio Spurs about the availability of Kawhi Leonard. Should the New York Knicks join the discussion?

Just when it seemed as though the New York Knicks could execute a rebuild in peace, a superstar surfaced as a potentially viable trade target. It’s certainly an unexpected development, but All-NBA small forward Kawhi Leonard appears to have alienated himself from the San Antonio Spurs.

In a recent appearance on ESPN’s Outside The Lines, Brian Windhorst revealed that multiple teams are preparing to make a run at Leonard during the 2018 offseason.

Zach Lowe of ESPN quickly followed with a corroboration of Windhorst’s report, stating that teams will attempt to get something done around the 2018 NBA Draft.

That doesn’t necessarily mean that the Knicks will make a run at Leonard, but it’s at least a realistic possibility.

Normally, acquiring a superstar in the prime of their career would be a pipe dream for the Knicks. New York actually has a decent amount to offer the Spurs, however, which has inevitably birthed speculation from around the NBA community.

With a package centered around Frank Ntilikina, a top-10 draft pick in 2018, and a second first-round selection, the Knicks could potentially bring the Spurs to the table.

Whether or not a trade for Leonard would be worth pursuing is certainly a fair question. Leonard is an NBA champion, a two-time All-NBA First Team honoree, and a two-time Defensive Player of the Year award-winner, however, as well as a player who has seen a decline in market value.

For as special a talent as he may be, there are pros and cons to consider about a potential trade for Kawhi Leonard.

The question is: Should the New York Knicks pursue a deal?

Pro: Elite Defense

Kawhi Leonard is widely regarded as the best on-ball defender in the NBA—regardless of position. Kristaps Porzingis hasn’t received the respect he deserves, but he established himself as the best rim protector in the Association in 2017-18.

Whether or not the New York Knicks manage to keep Frank Ntilikina in a potential trade, the addition of Leonard would fortify an elite defense.

Leonard has been locking opponents down for the Spurs since he first entered the NBA. The two-time Defensive Player of the Year doesn’t always limit his opponents’ efficiency, but has the uncanny ability to legitimately rip the ball out of their hands.

Leonard could take even more chances in New York with Porzingis—who ranks No. 1 in blocks per game and opponent field goal percentage the rim—behind him.

In the event that the Knicks were to keep Ntilikina, they could have three legitimately elite defenders in the starting lineup. It’s unlikely to transpire, as The French Prince will likely be a target for a team that has the perfect mentor for him in Tony Parker.

With or without Ntilikina, however, the Knicks would have an opportunity to get back to what has always worked: Playing elite defense.

Con: Opportunity Cost

If Kawhi Leonard hadn’t missed what essentially equates to a full season, this wouldn’t be an issue. Giving up multiple draft picks and a young player for a superstar who’s just now entering his prime is a move that even the most jaded of New York Knicks fans should support.

Due to the fact that Leonard is still an emerging player on the offensive end of the floor, however, missing what’s essentially a full season could prove devastating.

One could fairly assume that a trade with the San Antonio Spurs would center around Frank Ntilikina and multiple draft picks. That would likely include the Knicks’ 2018 pick, which projects to be in the top 10 on the night that a trade would be executed.

That would provide San Antonio with an opportunity to potentially select a future franchise player, all the while retaining the rights to the first-round pick it posses further down the board.

In order to make the salaries work, one of two possibilities would likely be explored. The first would be Courtney Lee, who’s a two-way veteran who’d fit San Antonio’s identity, and the second would be Tim Hardaway Jr., who’s begun to tap into his own potential.

A package of Ntilikina, 2018 and 2020 first-round draft picks, and Hardaway would be a steep cost for a player whose injuries have forced him to miss essentially a full season.

Pro: Acquiring A Superstar

No matter what the New York Knicks give up in a trade, what’s clear as day is that the team won’t win until it solidifies the perimeter. Tim Hardaway Jr. is a quality scorer with a high ceiling, but the Knicks need two-way value in the worst of ways.

By adding an All-NBA player at small forward, the Knicks would not only fill a void, but turn a questionable perimeter into a viable strength.

This may be a little on the nose, but a chance to acquire a superstar shouldn’t be taken lightly. This isn’t a move for Stephon Marbury or Steve Francis, who may have been stars in their own right, but never reached the level that Leonard recently has.

Thus, while giving up a hefty sum for a potentially injury-prone player may be a daunting possibility, Leonard is a truly special talent.

In addition to being an elite defender, Leonard has proven that he can record upwards of 25 points on a nightly basis. He averaged 25.5 points per game in 2016-17, when he was named to the All-NBA First Team for the second time in his still young career.

Simply put: Leonard would be the Knicks’ best two-way perimeter player since—sadly and without hyperbole—Walt Frazier.

Con: Injury History

It’s easy to look at the 2017-18 NBA regular season and display skepticism on the Kawhi Leonard front. He’s appeared in just nine games in 2017-18 due to a mysterious quadricep injury that continues to prevent the 26-year-old from returning to action.

Whether or not you believe Leonard’s injury is as bad as advertised, what’s undeniable is that injury absences have been common throughout his career.

Leonard missed 24 games in 2012-13, 16 games in 2013-14, and 18 games in 2014-15. Gregg Popovich’s willingness to rest his players certainly influenced those numbers, but it’s fair to question if injuries are in fact a lingering issue.

For a New York Knicks organization that has been burned far too many times by injury-prone stars, it would be hard to blame Scott Perry for passing on this opportunity for that very reason.

Furthermore, no one seems to know how severe Leonard’s quadriceps injury truly is. Spurs teammate Tony Parker downplayed the severity of the ailment, but it’s within the realm of possibility that it’s worse than he thinks.

Unless the Knicks receive 100 percent confirmation that Leonard will be back at 100 percent in 2018-19, it may be wise to pass on this opportunity.

Pro: A Legitimate 1-2 Punch

The New York Knicks are one of the organizations that general managers study when figuring out what not to do. Over the course of the past 17 years, the Knicks have repeatedly abandoned long-term visions for a short-term fix that looked better on paper than on the court.

The difference between a trade for Kawhi Leonard and moves for the likes of Eddy Curry, Steve Francis, Jerome James, or Stephon Marbury is that a foundation would still be in place.

Leonard wouldn’t be joining a barren roster that has no hope beyond him; he’d be teaming with a fellow All-Star in Kristaps Porzingis. Much like Leonard, Porzingis is capable of producing 20-plus points on a nightly basis and playing elite defense.

Porzingis finished the 2017-18 NBA regular season with averages of 22.7 points and a league-best 2.4 blocks per game, also ranking No. 1 in opponent field goal percentage at the rim.

With two players who can both score and defend at star-caliber levels, the Knicks would have an advantage over a vast majority of teams. It’s rare that a franchise in the modern era has one of those players, let alone two.

If the Knicks are looking to return to prominence, then building a legitimate 1-2 punch of star-caliber players who should actually play well off one another would do the trick.

Must Read: Top 2018 NBA Draft target at every position

The question is: Will the New York Knicks pursue a trade for Kawhi Leonard?