Knicks Rumors: CJ McCollum mock trade
This may seem like hardly anything to get for a perennial 20 point-per-game combo guard, but this feels like the reality of the situation. We actually have some really relevant precedent in place.
The first piece of evidence being the Norman Powell trade that happened just a few days ago.
In exchange for Powell and Robert Covington, the Blazers received Eric Bledsoe, Justise Winslow, Keon Johnson, and a 2025 2nd round pick.
Although Powell is an inferior player to McCollum, he’s owed less annual and is 2 years younger.
In a report from Eric Pinson of Bleacher Report at the start of January, he stated that some executives around the NBA viewed McCollum as a “negative asset”.
McCollum, who has battled some injuries in recent years after being an incredibly durable player for most of his career, is under contract through 2023-24 at a cap hit of around 33 mil per year.
For the Blazers, I could see them wanting to pry a younger Knick into the trade, and while I can’t imagine former first-round picks Obi Toppin, Immanuel Quickley, or Quentin Grimes to get involved, Miles McBride or Jericho Sims could be thrown in.
Essentially, the Blazers are getting shorter-term money, hence why Fournier isn’t in this deal.
Walker is just on a 2 year deal, and the 3rd year of both Noel and Burks’ contracts are team options — so they are all really expiring contracts next season. Easy contracts to move.
Even with the trade package not being anything monumental, is this something the Knicks should still consider?