New York Knicks: Trading Kristaps Porzingis for Anthony Davis would be mistake

A soon to be free agent superstar is reportedly looking for a trade, and as always the case, the New York Knicks are a potential destination. Yet once again, the team must stay away.

Anthony Davis is currently an undisputed franchise cornerstone, and acquiring him would appear to undoubtedly improve the New York Knicks roster. New York has been rumored to be “aggressively” pursuing the Pelicans star, and many mock trades have been debated throughout NBA Twitter.

The one constant between the speculative deals of both excited fans and NBA insiders is that Kristaps Porzingis would need to be included to get a deal done. Despite the obvious upside of bringing Davis to New York, giving up Porzingis would be an unforgivable mistake.

The Knicks have been defined by their inability to wait, and their lack of patience has been enough to include them as potential suitors for many reportedly available players in recent seasons.

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This season the team has been clear in their focus on player development, while silently embracing the “tank.” The front office has preached patience with their roster and showed restraint when Jimmy Butler hit the trade market. Davis fits the mold of a generational talent that should test the Knicks commitment to their youth, yet while he may force the team to consider all options, they need to stick to their guns with success much closer than it may appear.

As the team currently stands, it is reasonable to anticipate a Knicks roster next season that features a healthy Porzingis, a top-five draft selection, and an improved Kevin Knox. The team also has the ability to clear space for a max free agent this summer, and while signing a star is far from a given, it appears to be a legitimate possibility.

While a Davis deal would almost certainly start with Porzingis, he does not carry the value to be the sole piece in a one for one exchange. The Knicks would likely need to pair their star with their first-round pick, as well as one or more of Knox, Frank Ntilikina, and Mitchell Robinson. A trade including these assets would obviously gut the team’s current roster, and a roster devoid of young talent being carried by Davis does not appear to get the Knicks closer to title contention than their current team’s trajectory.

Pairing Porzingis and Davis would give the Knicks a legitimate case as one of the Eastern Conference’s best teams, even if the roster lacked any other significant pieces. If the Knicks can pool all non-Porzingis assets and create an offer attractive enough to persuade New Orleans to put Danny Ainge on mute, it is a no-brainer. Yet despite Davis being more of a sure thing than Porzingis could be considered at this time, including him in a deal would leave the team no different than the last time New York dealt for an Anthony.