The Indiana Pacers may not be able to re-sign Victor Oladipo in 2021. As such, the question beckons: Should the New York Knicks pursue a trade for the All-Star?
The New York Knicks reportedly believe the front office has accumulated enough assets to trade for a star. That’s a bold proclamation, but general manager Scott Perry has accumulated multiple first-round draft picks, while retaining his own and building a roster with up-and-coming talent.
The options for the Knicks to consider include a number of multi-time All-Stars, but there may be a new name to add to the list: Victor Oladipo.
Oladipo, 27, has established himself as one of the premier shooting guards in the NBA today. He was an All-Star in both 2017-18 and 2018-19, helping the Indiana Pacers push LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers to seven games during the former season.
According to Ian Begley of SNY, Oladipo and the Pacers discussed a contract extension that didn’t seem to gain much traction.
"Per SNY sources, at one point in the extension talk between the club and Oladipo, the idea of a four-year extension for around $80 million was broached. Discussions about an extension didn’t progress much from there, sources said."
As such, the possibility has presented itself for teams to test the waters on a trade for a player who was on his way towards superstardom as recently as 2018-19.
There isn’t a direct link between the Knicks and Pacers, beyond the bitter rivalry that could prevent a trade from happening. In saying that, Indiana will need to determine how much it’s willing to invest in the mere possibility that Oladipo is going to re-sign in 2021.
If it comes to pass that the Indiana Pacers are willing to part with their franchise player, then the New York Knicks could be a prime candidate to take him off their hands.
The question is: Should the Knicks try to do it?