New York Knicks: Scott Perry’s three best trades as general manager
What are Scott Perry’s best trades in his brief stint as general manager of the New York Knicks?
Scott Perry has done an underrated job as the general manager of the New York Knicks. The wins have not come yet, but his decision making has not been a topic of conversation yet. However, there are enough moves to grade out, so here are some of his best trades since taking over:
3. The Willy Hernangomez Trade
Willy Hernangomez developed a strong following after showing out in his rookie season. He had some expectations to live up to the following season, and trading for Enes Kanter made it more difficult for the young big man to live up to those expectations.
Hernangomez came into 2017 training camp without improving his weight and he became the third-string center. He made it clear he wanted to play elsewhere, and the day after Kristaps Porzingis tore his ACL, the Spanish center was traded to the Charlotte Hornets for two second-round picks.
This past season, Hernangomez played 58 games, averaging 14 minutes per contest. He was somewhat impactful in those 14 minutes, with seven points and five rebounds. Charlotte will be very good, and those second-round picks could have some value.
2. The Carmelo Anthony Trade
Perry made out like a bandit in this deal.
The Saturday before NBA Media Day, Carmelo Anthony was traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder for Doug McDermott, Enes Kanter, and a 2018 second-round pick.
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Anthony has been awful since leaving the Knicks and not content with what has been asked of him, whether that be coming off the bench or not to shoot as many times. McDermott and Kanter are no longer on the Knicks, but the second-round pick became Mitchell Robinson.
Robinson impacted the defensive end of the floor greatly as a rookie, with the athleticism to potentially flourish offensively, pending development. He was the steal of the 2018 NBA Draft, and Perry solidified his victory with this selection.
1. The Kristaps Porzingis Trade
The Knicks traded an injury-prone, malcontent player for two future first-round picks, cap relief, and a young point guard in Dennis Smith Jr, who still has a lot of work to do as his playmaking and shooting needs to be improved, but he is not the most important part in the trade.
The Knicks have no long-term money locked up to below-average players. If everything goes according to plan and if RJ Barrett is really going to be that dude, New York could be on the cusp of greatness with extra first-round picks from a team in the stacked Western Conference.
Those assets could be pivotal in putting the Knicks over the top in the future. Porzingis wanted to be traded, and he left when the organization still had leverage.
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To those who question the return-package, the Pelicans said no to an Anthony Davis-for-Porzingis trade, the Kings said no about De’Aaron Fox, and the Jazz declined to move Donovan Mitchell. Perry did the best he could considering the situation for the New York Knicks.