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2 trades Knicks can make to move up in 2022 NBA Draft

By Chris Gallagher

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MARCH 30: Julius Randle #30 of the New York Knicks in action against the Charlotte Hornets at Madison Square Garden on March 30, 2022 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Charlotte Hornets defeated the New York Knicks 125-114. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MARCH 30: Julius Randle #30 of the New York Knicks in action against the Charlotte Hornets at Madison Square Garden on March 30, 2022 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Charlotte Hornets defeated the New York Knicks 125-114. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images) /
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New York Knicks, Julius Randle
Julius Randle, New York Knicks. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images) /

Trade No. 2: Damian Lillard teams up with Julius Randle… in Portland

Ok, guys, I honestly would not at all be surprised if the Knicks make the exact trade I’m about to propose, or at least some variation of this trade, as it seems as if this is the perfect trade for both sides. Here we go:

When Randle signed that four-year extension with New York last offseason, I was basically convinced there was no way that he would ever leave the Knicks. It felt as if we had found two of the pieces to the puzzle and were one guy away from serious contention. Welp.

I don’t know what was going on with Randle this year, sometimes he looked terrific and sometimes he was hard to watch. He might have been in his own head, or maybe he was exhausted from Thibodeau playing him almost 38 minutes per night the season before, and that might have caught up with him, same as it did to Luol Deng.

Nobody wants to go to Portland to play basketball unless the Blazers are a successful team. There is no draw to Portland, as it’s a small market team that has had minimal success. However, LaVine is from Washington state and has shown some interest in the Blazers and reportedly plans to meet with them in free agency.

If Portland were to acquire Randle it would show that the team is attempting to be a contender and it could catch LaVine’s eye. Also, the Blazers have a lottery pick, so you never know what they could do with that.

On the Knicks’ side, New York would move on from Randle and would once again show a movement towards focusing on the young guys in the form of a rebuild that is fairly far along.

The Knicks would get to move up in the draft and would not lose any assets outside of Randle, meaning that they could go for Shaedon Sharpe, who could be a very interesting prospect as his ceiling is sky-high.

I could envision this trade happening, and personally, I think fans of both teams would love this deal. Make it happen, New York, unless the team can move up higher than No. 7 overall, then do that.

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