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New York Knicks: Outlook for every player in Kristaps Porzingis trade

By Rob Wolkenbrod

NEW YORK, NY - JANUARY 30: Dennis Smith Jr. #1 of the Dallas Mavericks handles the ball against the New York Knicks on January 30, 2019 at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - JANUARY 30: Dennis Smith Jr. #1 of the Dallas Mavericks handles the ball against the New York Knicks on January 30, 2019 at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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New York Knicks Kristaps Porzingis (Photo by Steven Ryan/Getty Images) /

With Kristaps Porzingis out, what about the pieces the New York Knicks acquired from the Dallas Mavericks via trade?

In a rapid-fire development, the New York Knicks traded Kristaps Porzingis to the Dallas Mavericks Thursday. It ended a relationship that began breaking down when Phil Jackson was still leading the front office, leading to the Latvian’s unhappiness with the organization’s plans.

This was not just about Porzingis, however. The Knicks traded three players and acquired three from Dallas and two draft picks. Some pieces will factor into the future while others won’t. It broke down as this:

With plenty of moving parts, how are they all impacted by this trade? Let’s take a look:

Tim Hardaway Jr.

Tim Hardaway Jr. had two interesting stints with the New York Knicks. The first ended with a trade for a first-round pick, which became Jerian Grant. He returned when the front office handed an eye-popping four-year, $71 million deal that seemed extreme at the time and never lived up to expectations. It was general manager Scott Perry’s first major acquisition.

In 2018-19, Hardaway assumed the primary scoring role without Porzingis. It started well, topping 24.0 points per game earlier in the season. Around Thanksgiving, however, the veteran guard tailed off to 38.8 shooting, a current career-low mark.

Along the way, the Knicks placed Hardaway on the trade block, to try to clear cap space for the 2019 offseason. His future seemed bleak in the Big Apple until Thursday’s news.

With the trade, Hardaway slots in a secondary role to Luka Doncic in Dallas. When Porzingis returns healthy in 2019-20, the Michigan product will move down one peg, arguably suiting him better, rather than taking 15.0 shots per game.

If the Mavericks take off next season, Hardaway could become a key contributor towards a winning team for the first time in his career. It’s an interesting situation for him, and with a young team developing in Texas, it’s a landing spot with upside.

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