NY Knicks: 3 contracts NY can trade for and get a draft pick

Bad Contract NY Knicks can absorb #1 – Eric Bledsoe

Eric Bledsoe was a potential target of New York’s at the deadline, one which we covered extensively here at Daily Knicks.

There was speculation that he would have to be attached to Lonzo Ball to bring down David Griffin’s overall asking price for the Knicks to bring Ball on.

There was also an idea brought up all over Knicks Twitter and various media outlets that the Knicks could take on Bledsoe along with a pick for absorbing his contract.

Here’s the trade:

Via Spotrac.com, Bledsoe is due $18 million next season which would hurt, but the following season his contract is only guaranteed for $3.9 million so the Knicks could waive him and not take a huge hit to their own cap for that year if they aren’t able to find a trade partner for Bledsoe before then.

Another reason waiving Bledsoe wouldn’t be all that bad is because the Knicks will finally be out from under Joakim Noah’s contract finally.

New York used the stretch-provision waiver in October 2018 to buy out Noah and part ways with him.

The $6 million-plus they’ve been paying him since then is finally over and done with at the end of next season.

Therefore, even if they couldn’t find a way to get rid of Bledsoe, they’d have an easy time navigating around the money he’s owed.

Regarding the trade, the Pelicans acquire a young wing who fits the team’s timeline and the Knicks take on LA’s 1st this year which of course will be later on in the draft but it’s just additional ammunition they can use to move up into the top 10 this year.