New York Knicks: Tobias Harris trade has some effect on the future

The New York Knicks had the spotlight since the Kristaps Porzingis trade, but the Los Angeles Clippers and Philadelphia 76ers just upstaged them.

The New York Knicks fulfilled at least part of their free agent prophecy, offloading Tim Hardaway Jr. and Courtney Lee‘s contracts, along with Kristaps Porzingis and Trey Burke, to the Dallas Mavericks. Dennis Smith Jr. was the only future salary received in this trade.

This move positioned New York with $70 million in cap space for 2019 free agency, with Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, Kawhi Leonard, Kemba Walker and Klay Thompson among the potential players to hit the open market.

Tobias Harris is part of that group, although one tier below — maybe as a “consolation” prize for the teams that don’t sign the aforementioned players. Wednesday’s news may have dampened that, however.

In the early morning hours, the Philadelphia 76ers acquired Harris from the Los Angeles Clippers in a multi-player trade, sending four draft picks and three players as part of this transaction, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski:

Harris is not just a rental, either, at least that’s how Philadelphia sees it. Wojnarowski added, they want to keep him, Jimmy Butler, Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons together, even with Butler’s own free agency and Simmons’ contract extension ahead.

If so, and Harris wants to stay, that wipes out one free agent target for the Knicks. Two if Butler’s status is in doubt, given his clash with Sixers coaches in January.

There are other options, but arguments for all of them to stick with their incumbent teams can be made, depleting the talent pool this summer, one by one.

By sending Wilson Chandler‘s expiring salary, it may take the Sixers out of the Wesley Matthews trade market. They were linked to the Knicks’ shooting guard earlier this week, but probably need to hope for a buyout after Thursday’s 3:00 p.m. ET deadline. Philadelphia has an outside shooting need off the bench without Landry Shamet and Mike Muscala.

Consider, as well, that if the Sixers keep this “Big 4” for 2019-20, and the Knicks sign a big name or two this summer, they have a Libert Bell-sized hurdle to eclipse in the Eastern Conference. That doesn’t include Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Milwaukee Bucks, the Toronto Raptors if Kawhi Leonard stays and if the Boston Celtics stay together.

Lost in this, the Clippers trading Harris could mean they never wanted to pay him a maximum contract, despite his rise to 20.9 points per game. Los Angeles is also eighth in the Western Conference, but just one game ahead of the Sacramento Kings and 2.5 over the Lakers. Their playoff spot can disappear instantly and, if so, they don’t surrender their 2019 first-round pick to the Boston Celtics.

The focus, though, is the Clippers as a fellow free-agent destination with cap space. Before the trade, they only had $60.3 million against the 2019-20 payroll, which is enough room to pay Durant’s max contract and anyone else they target. So whether or not the Harris trade happened, this was always a threat to New York’s free-agent plans.

Now, with the Long Island, NY product and speculation of staying in Southern California out, the Clippers provided some clarity, if anything else was needed. They are a direct competitor to the Knicks, and it makes this an interesting prelude to this summer’s events.