New York Knicks fans, it’s the day of the 2022 NBA Draft. As it stands, New York has picks No. 11 and No. 42, but if the organization can find a way to trade up into the top five for Jaden Ivey, that will change.
According to SNY’s Ian Begley, the Knicks were in talks with the Sacramento Kings about a deal that involved “multiple first-round picks” in a package, but that wasn’t enough. If New York’s serious in its pursuits of Ivey, and it seems like that’s the case, then the front office is going to have to dig deeper.
Sacramento’s GM Monte McNair is the judge for any deals that are presented to the Kings. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported that the Washington Wizards are also interested in trading up for Ivey, so the Knicks are going to have to oust the Wizards. Luckily, New York has the assets.
Would this Knicks package for Jaden Ivey be enough to trade up to No. 4?
In an effort to garner Sacramento’s interest while trying to remain reasonable, here’s a trade package that the Knicks could present:
You might be looking at that and wondering how that’s considered to be reasonable. But it is, especially once you realize that Julius Randle, Immanuel Quickley, and Obi Toppin aren’t part of the deal.
Begley said that he believes that the deal will come down to either Quickley, Toppin, or Grimes being included. And out of those three, Grimes would be the easiest to part with, but that doesn’t mean that doing so wouldn’t be tough.
Parting ways with Alec Burks wouldn’t be a hard decision, but watching Grimes and Cam Reddish (who New York gave up a first-round pick for) leave after only playing in a combined 61 games for the Knicks would be bittersweet.
And while Ivey is considered by many to be the best prospect in the draft, New York’s front office needs to be certain about giving up so much in return for a player who hasn’t played in a single NBA game.
That’s what it’s going to take, though. The Knicks are going to have to go all-in to land Ivey. And honestly, this deal may end up being too reasonable for Sacramento, if that’s even possible.
The power is in the hands of McNair and the Kings, so they could demand Randle, Quickley, or Toppin to be included. And if you’re wondering about RJ Barrett, that’s an immediate no.
Now it’s time to sit back and wait to see what happens. If New York ends up trading up, it’s likely going to come down to the final minute. Buckle up and get ready.
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