Daily Knicks
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3 Eastern Conference rivals Knicks fans can clown for trade deadline decisions

By Jordanna Clark

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JANUARY 30: (NEW YORK DAILIES OUT) Kyrie Irving #11 (L) and Kevin Durant #7 of the Brooklyn Nets look on against the Los Angeles Lakers at Barclays Center on January 30, 2023 in New York City. The Nets defeated the Lakers 121-104. 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. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JANUARY 30: (NEW YORK DAILIES OUT) Kyrie Irving #11 (L) and Kevin Durant #7 of the Brooklyn Nets look on against the Los Angeles Lakers at Barclays Center on January 30, 2023 in New York City. The Nets defeated the Lakers 121-104. 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. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) /
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Although rumors were flying around leading up to the trade deadline, it turns out that the New York Knicks’ lone move was sending Cam Reddish, Svi Mykhailiuk, Ryan Arcidiacono, and a protected first-round pick to the Trail Blazers in exchange for Josh Hart on Wednesday night.

After staying pat on trade deadline day last year, the Knicks did the same on Thursday. It was rumored that New York was in talks with Chicago about Zach LaVine, but on Thursday afternoon, SNY’s Ian Begley reported that the Knicks communicated that the trade was “highly unlikely to happen.” That’s something that fans should be happy about.

With Hart bolstering New York’s second unit, the team has an increased chance of securing a playoff berth. Sitting at No. 7 in the conference, the Knicks could finish the season in the top six, so things are looking much better in New York than they did a year ago.

The same can’t be said for other Eastern Conference teams, though. Let’s dig into three teams in particular that embarrassed themselves ahead of the deadline.

3 Eastern Conference rivals Knicks fans can clown after trade deadline decisions

3: Brooklyn Nets

At 1 a.m. on Thursday, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski sent out a tweet that flipped the NBA world upside down. A few days after trading Kyrie Irving to the Mavericks, the Nets sent Kevin Durant and T.J. Warren to the Suns in exchange for Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, Jae Crowder (who has since been traded to the Bucks), four first-round picks, and a pick swap.

Less than four years after signing Durant and Irving in free agency, Brooklyn is still left with zero titles, even after trading for James Harden in January of 2021. The Nets are now known for having the most epic collapse in NBA history, which is something that Knicks fans have enjoyed seeing play out.

While Brooklyn did get an impressive haul in return for Irving, the Nets weren’t able to acquire one star in the Irving/Durant trades. Instead, the team was left with a roster that could still lead them to the playoffs, but won’t be able to make the deep playoff run that fans have been waiting for. Even with KD, Irving, and Harden, Brooklyn was unable to make it to the Eastern Conference Finals.

In what was once viewed as the most powerful Big 3 in the history of the league, each player eventually requested a trade, with Harden being the first to do so last year. Durant was the last domino to fall. What a disaster.

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