NY Knicks trade idea No. 3) New York wins the Damian Lillard sweepstakes
As soon as Portland’s campaign came to an end after their six-game first-round bout against the Denver Nuggets, the media went into a frenzy discussing how Damian Lillard could possibly demand out this offseason after yet another disappointing year.
Though there have been little rumblings from the superstar’s camp that would suggest such an ordeal is even a thought in their minds, this has not stopped the hypothetical trade packages from circulating and, just like every summer with stars who are rumored to want out, fans have concocted their own trades that would send the point guard to the NY Knicks.
Like we’ve already stated earlier in this piece, point guard was perhaps the weakest position for the Knickerbockers throughout the majority of this past campaign and, because of this, the front office should focus their attention on trying to upgrade the position before next season.
What’s a better upgrade for the one spot than arguably the best player at the position in Lillard?
This past season, the 31-year-old wound up once again having a stellar all-around year, averaging 28.8 points, 7.5 assists, and 4.2 rebounds on 45 percent shooting from the floor and 39 percent shooting from deep.
Now, of course, in order to land the likes of Lillard, a large return for Portland is a must.
In this proposed deal, we see Wilson shipping out a package centered around three future firsts and RJ Barrett.
For Wilson, he admits that losing the second-year wing would be a tough blow for the organization, and even went as far as to say that one could argue he could be viewed as “off-limits.”
Though I, too, am a big fan of Barrett’s and hope that he can one day mold himself into a great player here in New York, the concept of a trade should not be based on personal preference but, rather, what players give the Knicks the best chance at a ring.
A major question that should be asked when discussing a swap involving RJ is: is the player coming to New York at a level in which Barrett can one day reach?
If the answer is “yes”, then it would likely be in the best interest of the front office to stand pat.
If it’s “no”, then New York should absolutely consider pursuing the deal.
As far as where we at DK stand on this matter, the second train of thought is where the majority of us reside and, though to some it may be a hefty price to pay for one player, it could prove to be a fantastic move for this hungry and competitive Knicks team, especially considering that, in reality, a deal for Lillard would likely cost a bit more than what Wilson is proposing.