The New York Knicks reportedly believe the assets have been compile to trade for a star. Who are the realistic targets for the Knicks to pursue?
The New York Knicks are the single most star-starved franchise in the NBA. Playing in a market that should be welcoming and creating household names, the Knicks have struggled to consistently build around any one player since the infamous Patrick Ewing trade.
No commitments have been made just yet, but it appears as though the pursuit of said player is back on with a new and connected front office.
James Dolan hired Leon Rose to replace Steve Mills as team president mere months ago, but the wheels have already been turning. Rose, a longtime agent of big-name NBA players, has been quietly evaluating the landscape, but the acquisition of a star has been a widespread desire.
According to Ian Begley of SNY, some within the organization believe the Knicks have stockpiled enough assets to acquire a star in the near future.
"…some with the Knicks feel that they are incredibly well positioned to trade for a disgruntled star if one becomes available. “It’s the best path for us,” one front office member recently said."
This has inevitably sparked debates amongst Knicks fans who both want a star, but also see potential in the group that’s been assembled.
New York has a number of 22-and-under players with upside, including RJ Barrett, Kevin Knox, Frank Ntilikina, and Mitchell Robinson. It also holds the rights to all of its future first-round draft picks, as well as first-round selections from the Dallas Mavericks and Los Angeles Clippers.
As such, the Knicks are in a position to either go all-in on the youth movement or compel an organization to part with its star in favor of the assets that Scott Perry accumulated.
The question is: Who could the Knicks realistically trade for?
LaMarcus Aldridge, San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs are on pace to miss the NBA Playoffs for the first time since 1997. As such, it’s fair to believe that the Spurs would be willing to part with one of, if not both of, LaMarcus Aldridge or DeMar DeRozan.
DeRozan may very well decline his player option and enter free agency, however, which makes Aldridge the listed player who answers the question at hand: Who are realistic trade targets?
Aldridge will turn 35 in July, but he’s still a productive power forward who could fit in well alongside Mitchell Robinson. He can simplify the game for up-and-coming shooting guard RJ Barrett as a player who can receive the ball in the low or high post and consistently convert.
In many respects, he could play a similar role to what David West was able to alongside Paul George and Roy Hibbert with the Indiana Pacers.
Aldridge wouldn’t command much of an asking price at 35 years of age, which could be the best reason to do this. The worst-case scenario may be parting with a first-round pick from the Clippers or Mavericks that most expect to land in the high 20s.
That request would likely be an example of San Antonio overplaying its hand, however, which makes the potential acquisition of a seven-time All-Star who’s still productive an intriguing option.
It wouldn’t blow anyone away, but it could also be the first big move in the process of constructing a roster that can make the Playoffs.
Bradley Beal, Washington Wizards
The Washington Wizards are in a position that the New York Knicks are unfortunately familiar with. Washington has a star-caliber scorer in Bradley Beal, but its timeline for a return to prominence doesn’t exactly align with the one that he’s developing along.
A trade for Beal would be tricky on multiple levels, but it stands to reason that he could be acquired if the Knicks were willing to part with valued assets.
Beal is in the midst of a season during which he’s averaged 30.5 points and 6.1 assists on a slash line of .455/.353/.842. He’s a two-time All-Star with staying power on the production front. He’s also an experienced postseason player who has already won three separate series.
If the Knicks were to trade for Beal, the front office would have a soon-to-be 27-year-old to not only build around, but pitch to free agents while operating in a major market.
The key here would be the cost, as the Knicks would likely have to part with RJ Barrett and at least one draft pick. One could make sense of the other assets that would be included, but the question would be simple: Do you believe that Beal is better than Barrett will become if he were to stay in New York?
If the answer to that question is yes, then it would behoove the Knicks to build around the high-low balance created by Beal and rising star Mitchell Robinson.
If the answer is no, then it might not be worth calling at all.
Blake Griffin, Detroit Pistons
Let’s get this out of the way: If the New York Knicks were to trade for Blake Griffin, they’d have a serious injury risk on the roster. Griffin missed 48 games in 2019-20 due to a knee injury, and has an extensive history of being sidelined due to various ailments.
Now 31 years of age, it may not be worth trading for a player with a hefty 2021-22 player option included in his contract.
Just don’t walk away before you evaluate your options.
Griffin is a five-time All-NBA honoree and six-time All-Star whose résumé is only limited by the aforementioned injuries. When healthy, he’s one of the best players in the Association, blending a powerful frame and compelling athleticism with a truly complete offensive skill set.
Griffin can shoot from all over the court, may have the best handle of any big man in the NBA, and has made seven separate postseason appearances.
In his most recent relatively healthy season, 2018-19, Griffin willed the Detroit Pistons to a postseason appearance. He averaged 24.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 5.4 assists per game, and even shot 36.2 percent from beyond the three-point line.
Signing Amar’e Stoudemire opened the door for the Knicks to make future moves for healthier stars, and bringing Griffin aboard could potentially do the same. Stars must be reminded of what Madison Square Garden is like when New York is relevant.
This isn’t to say that the Knicks should trade for Griffin, but it’s within the realm of possibility—and likely wouldn’t cost as much as it once would’ve.
CJ McCollum, Portland Trail Blazers
Although he’s never been an All-Star, I’m willing to go out on a limb and call CJ McCollum a star-caliber player. The Portland Trail Blazers have struggled in 2019-20, due in large part to injuries, but McCollum remains one of the best shooting guards in the Association.
If Portland decides that the undersized backcourt experiment of building around McCollum and Damian Lillard is over, then the New York Knicks should seriously look into a trade.
McCollum, who will turn 29 in September, is one of the most complete scorers in the NBA today. He’s averaged upwards of 20 points per game in each of the past five seasons, and has compiled a career slash line of .455/.397/.827.
Beyond the numbers, McCollum is an elite midrange scorer with deep three-point range and the ability to create off the bounce against defenders of all calibers.
For the Knicks, McCollum would offer a scorer around whom a team-oriented offense could be build. He’s a proven postseason performer who was even Portland’s go-to player when it defeated the Denver Nuggets to reach the Western Conference Finals in 2019.
This trade alone may not alter the trajectory of the franchise, but it could be a great first step towards doing so if the Trail Blazers’ request for compensation is fair.
Chris Paul, Oklahoma City Thunder
At 34 years of age, one could make a case that Chris Paul played at an MVP-caliber level for the Oklahoma City Thunder. He graciously mentored Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and shockingly led the Thunder to what would’ve been a postseason berth despite losing both Paul George and Russell Westbrook.
There’s no telling what a 35-year-old Paul would be capable of, but for the sake of discussing the realistic options, he should be listed here.
Paul is a future Hall of Famer who has been heralded for both his individual play and his leadership during the 2019-20 season. He became a 10-time All-Star this season, and one could easily make a case that he deserves to make his ninth career All-NBA team, as well.
Father time is undefeated, but it’s worth evaluating Paul as an option due to the fact that he’d offer the New York Knicks exactly what they need: A floor general.
Paul is one of the greatest point guards in NBA history, combining elite defense with generational court vision. He boasts an unfathomable assist-to-turnover ratio, is lights out from midrange, efficiently converts from three-point range, and has vast postseason experience.
This would need to be the precursor to another trade, but it’s also likely that it wouldn’t cost the Knicks’ 2020 lottery pick to get something done.
More research will need to be done before making this trade, but Chris Paul is an attainable option for the New York Knicks.