New York Knicks: Pros and cons of making Anthony Davis trade now
Pro: The future is now
The New York Knicks have committed to their patient program for less than a year, so moving away from it this soon would be eye-opening. That’s because few circumstances can alter that, with one of them as the chance to acquire a game-changing superstar like Anthony Davis.
Yes, the Knicks have preached a slow development, one that does not include trading first-round picks. Plans change, though. There’s nothing that enforces president Steve Mills and general manager Scott Perry to never adjust their strategy.
Maybe they always wanted to drag out this rebuild and keep their picks to work around the future-superstar free agents, but when a player like Davis hits the trade market, and there’s a chance to acquire him before hitting the open market, it’s hard not to take a swing.
The Knicks can do this and push their future to now — well, not technically “now,” but the 2019-20 season, since their playoff hopes ended long ago.
Knox, Robinson, Ntilikina and future picks all offer upside, but nothing guaranteed. They may all turn into fine players down the road. Davis is more than that now, and arguably the NBA’s best big man. He’s not like Carmelo Anthony, either, as a superstar that takes a high volume of shots and can’t play defense.
By pushing this forward, and signing a top free agent in July, the Knicks can become players for 2019-20 immediately. Picture Davis and Kevin Durant together. What about Kyrie Irving instead? Does Kawhi Leonard stand a chance of leaving the Toronto Raptors?
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It’s tempting to push the future to the present and make the Knicks interesting. That’s one heck of a gamble to take, but this team is in position to try.