As Anthony Davis hits the trade block, the New York Knicks may not shy away from attempting this superstar trade, according to a report.
The New York Knicks have a superstar, Kristaps Porzingis, despite his ongoing recovery from a torn ACL. However, in the modern-day NBA, teams have needed multiple stars to win, including the Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers in recent seasons.
These teams were built by stars leaving their original franchises: LeBron James, Kyrie Irving, Kevin Love and Kevin Durant.
Well, another big name will hit the trade block, and it’s someone the Knicks potentially have a chance at. Per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Anthony Davis will not sign a contract extension with the New Orleans Pelicans and has requested a trade. He wants to join a team that “allows him to win consistently and compete for a championship.”
However, Wojnarowski reported on ESPN, the Knicks “will be aggressive” for Davis, but he’s not sure if a deal can happen, since they don’t sit in title contention. Trading assets for the multi-time All-Star may hurt that.
About Anthony Davis, @wojespn reports on ESPN that "the Knicks will be aggressive." I don't know how Knicks can get a deal done if Davis wants to go a title contender — a place they're not at right now and could get further away from by trading the assets needed to land AD.
— Mike Vorkunov (@MikeVorkunov) January 28, 2019
On ESPN’s Golic and Wingo, Wojnarowski relayed similar thoughts (h/t SNY):
"“You’re gonna see the Knicks try to be aggressive here now,” Wojnarowski said Monday morning during an appearance on Golic and Wingo on ESPN radio. “If you’re the Knicks, Kristaps Porzingis is a player who New Orleans would have to believe they could re-sign if they traded for him. And he may not be open to that. So, if you’re the Knicks, the best chance you have is getting the number one overall pick and being in a position post-lottery time where you could tell the Pelicans ‘hey, you can have Zion Williamson, you could rebuild with him.'”"
A Davis trade, of course, is intriguing in theory. It’s a top-flight superstar this team has lacked since Carmelo Anthony‘s glory days. However, to acquire him, the Knicks had to give up Danilo Gallinari, Wilson Chandler, Raymond Felton, Timofey Mozgov and multiple first-round picks, essentially gutting their team.
While the Knicks made three straight postseasons with Anthony, they lacked depth behind him, and the team faltered by 2013-14.
The current team, as seen by a 10-38 record, is nowhere near playoff contention. They have moved incrementally in the first year of a “developmental” process, with more struggles ahead, unless they claim the No. 1 pick of the 2019 NBA Draft and sign a superstar in free agency.
If New York acquired Davis, he may not even join that. Most player assets probably need to ship to New Orleans, including Mitchell Robinson and Kevin Knox as a starting point. First-round picks, as well, which the front office was against before the season started.
That’s speculatory, though, without the public knowledge of what New Orleans will want for Davis.
Other suitors will line up for a potential deal, as well. The superstar-hungry Los Angeles Lakers make sense. The Boston Celtics have player and draft assets to move. Maybe a surprise team moves in, a la the Oklahoma City Thunder acquiring Paul George and the Toronto Raptors with Kawhi Leonard.
The Knicks have a case for Davis but, in some ways, it puts them back to square one, pending the price. Either way, trade season is here, and the NBA has more drama. Stay tuned.