Knicks: Why New York should consider trading for Kevin Love

Why the New York Knicks should consider trading for Kevin Love.

The concept of cap space as a strategic asset in the NBA is a funny thing. Ideally, teams would plan ahead to have enough cap space when a difference making superstar is available via free agency or trade, but as the New York Knicks can attest, the best laid plans of mice and men don’t always go according to script.

By waiving and declining team options on several of their players from last season, New York entered this past offseason with over $40 million in cap space. They were primed to add talent to a roster in desperate need of help at a variety of positions. However, the top targets on team president Leon Rose’s wishlist decided to sign somewhere else, and rather than pivot and overspend on back-up options, he decided to maintain some cap space to provide flexibility going forward.

One option for the Knicks is to use that cap space to absorb a large contract from another team, hoping to gain sweeteners in the process. John Wall and Russell Westbrook are already off the market, having been traded for each other. New York failed to get involve in the sign-and-trade between Boston and Charlotte for Gordon Hayward that required Nicolas Batum’s contract to be moved.

Are there other players the Knicks could target with their cap position who could net draft capital? Of course there are; one being Cleveland Cavaliers power forward Kevin Love. It could make sense for New York to swing a trade for the former All-Star.

Let’s take a look at why the Cavs should pull the trigger (after all it takes two to tango), and why the Knicks should be interested in this deal.