New York Knicks: Your imagination’s role in any hope for the future

The New York Knicks’ blockbuster trade may make no sense from certain angles, but that could all change if Kevin Durant wants it to.

On Thursday afternoon, I went to pick up my daughter at school. I rarely get the chance, and when I do, I ignore my phone. Aside from the fact that there’s no service in the school, I try to remember that sometimes there are things more important than NBA trade deadline updates, whether with the New York Knicks or other teams (but rarely).

When we emerged from the school, my phone started buzzing at an unreal rate. More than 100 messages, updates, texts, etc…

Just like that, Kristaps Porzingis, along with Courtney Lee, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Trey Burke, had been traded to the Dallas Mavericks in exchange for DeAndre Jordan, Wesley Matthews, Dennis Smith Jr, and the rights to their 2021 and 2023 1st round draft picks.

….there I was, the world spinning around me like I was patient zero.

I’ve never been so perplexed.

“Daddy, what happened in your phone?”

“They traded Porzingis…”

“For what?”

“…for nothing.”

While I was being a bit dramatic, before more information could come to light, it certainly seemed like the Knicks had traded away a committed piece of the puzzle in order to make room for an imaginary and certainly uncommitted piece of the puzzle.

And after recent news, apparently Knick fans weren’t the only ones in the dark, with reports that other NBA front offices were shocked to hear he was traded, and that they didn’t even know he was available.

Now, with several days to stew, many Knick fans see this for what it is: tossing away a bird in the hand (with an injury history), for two in the bush (both also with injury histories).

There is no question that if the Knicks do not end up rostering Kevin Durant this summer, this will had been one of the worst trades in an already impressively bad history of bad trades.

Take that for data.

Sure, Durant recently reported his very close relationship with DeAndre Jordan.

And sure, the rumors of Durant leaving the Warriors (regardless of this season’s outcome) make lots of sense.

But the painful truth remains a constant factor in what could be: the New York Knicks organization doesn’t know how to treat players with dignity, and that reputation is well known amongst the brotherhood.

While Zion Williamson may have smirked mockingly at his teammates when asked what he thought of potentially being a Knick next season, he probably doesn’t even fully realize the facts and fears that lie behind the jests and jeers made superficially.

The reputation alone is what made LeBron James take his talents to South Beach, and not the Big Apple back in 2010.

He didn’t want to join the long list of talents that have finished their Knick tenure in a contentious fashion.

And while pushing it all on the line for a decision that will likely be made only after hanging another banner in the Bay Area, (even if a wink was given to James Dolan), there is more than enough evidence to know that the Knicks kill careers.

So where do we go from here?