In a dream scenario that has some legs, how good could a team of Zion Williamson, Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving be for the New York Knicks?
As a true pessimist, it can be frustrating to hypothesize “dream scenarios”, but with the Kristaps Porzingis trade, the New York Knicks’ literal plan is to clear up cap space to sign two megastars and tank to draft the Duke Phenom. So let’s explore this dream scenario and predict how good a Knicks team led by Kyrie Irving, Kevin Durant and Zion Williamson would actually be.
Irving when healthy is a top five point guard in the NBA. If he chooses to leave the Boston Celtics he will be leaving with a chip on his shoulder and a point to prove, as things will have ended tumultuously with his former team. The last time was paired Irving with another bonafide superstar — LeBron James — that team made the finals three straight years, winning one championship.
In this scenario it would pair Durant, who is arguably the best player in the world right now with the recent decline of LeBron James.
If Durant leaves an established dynasty to come to the Knicks, it will be primarily to shake his current poor reputation and to prove that he can win a ring without the help of an already built powerhouse. He has hinted several times that he believes he is as good if not better than James and winning a championship in New York would definitely help solidify his case. Point being, if Durant comes to the Knicks he too will be determined. What also helps is he’s a near seven-footer with point guard handles and an all-time jumper in case anyone hasn’t been paying attention.
Williamson has been racking up 25 and 10 games for Duke while predominantly playing off of the ball. This makes him the perfect fit to pair along two ball dominant superstars like Irving and Durant.
While most seem absolutely sold on Williamson, there are still some naysayers who are unsure how well he will translate to the NBA. What is more difficult to be argued however, is he will be entering the league as the most athletic player we have ever seen literally. Pairing his all-time athleticism with the all-time ball handling of Irving and the all-time overall skill of Durant, the Knicks have themselves a winning formula here. Also pairing Williamson in the frontcourt with Mitchell Robinson might make it impossible for anyone to shoot around the rim without getting blocked.
Let’s also not forget the asset in Dennis Smith Jr. With Irving’s arrival, there will essentially be no role for Smith Jr. which means the Knicks would have to trade him for some roster pieces in return. Pairing him with the additional two first-round picks the New York Knicks received from Dallas, I trust that Scott Perry can do a fantastic job in filling out the team surrounding the three stars.
Prediction: This team would win the Eastern Conference.