Should the Knicks gamble on a trade for point guard Coby White?
By Kramer Smith
Trade Scenario #2: The Knicks make a blockbuster trade
It is no secret New York star Julius Randle had some internal struggles this past season and many believe he is one foot out the door in New York. In Chicago, the team did not find as much success comparable to the value they gave up for Vucevic last season.
It is rumored both teams are shopping their former All-Star talents, with mutual synergy that a change of scenery would benefit both players next season.
Both players are set to absorb about the same amount of cap space, with Vucevic making $3 million more per year, but for three fewer seasons.
Perhaps the Knicks could flash some interest in Vucevic, but I would not expect it unless Robinson intends on leaving New York during the offseason.
More likely, I see the Knicks facilitating a much bigger, three-team deal that would send Randle to Chicago and Vucevic to a center needy playoff contender.
This trade could involve the Charlotte Hornets, who might want to get out from under the Gordon Hayward contract.
I decided to create a plausible template for a trade like this in ESPN’s Trade Machine, excluding any of the potential draft picks that could be on the move as well.
In this hypothetical deal, the Bulls acquire a new All-Star caliber player to join LaVine and DeRozan, the Hornets would acquire a top 10 center to anchor their young core, and the Knicks would acquire two young players, as well as a former All-Star veteran, to space out the depth on their roster.
There may be better options, as far as trades are concerned, for these teams to reach a successful agreement that would involve White, but we can at least get a sense of what it could look like.
I put myself into the group of fans who believe New York should not sell cheap on a player such as Randle, but if he decides that his future is no longer with the Knicks, New York may find themselves needing to take the best deal possible for the former star.
White would be a gamble, as he has not proven to have a track record of consistency yet, but he does show signs of being a solid pro-level contributor. Sometimes it takes players a couple of years to develop, as in the case of Cavaliers star Darius Garland. Sometimes patience is an overlooked virtue in the modern NBA.
If the Knicks are not sold on a specific player on draft night, they may welcome yet another gamble on a young established point guard, in the hopes of yielding the best of their talents entering the 2022-23 season.
