Three-team trade proposal sees Knicks gain from Pelicans’ obsession
Would the Knicks make this trade?
This is a lot of assets to give up if you are the Knicks, and it doesn’t even accomplish the secondary goal of moving Julius Randle. On the other hand, there is little chance they can convince the Pelicans to trade Brandon Ingram without the enticement of the No. 2 pick to draw them in.
The Knicks need to find a star who can thrive without always having the ball in his hands, and who can space the court enough to make Tom Thibodeau’s traditional-center lineups work. Brandon Ingram fits the bill, hitting 39% of his three-pointers last season and 37.5% in four seasons with the Pelicans.
Ingram isn’t a superstar; nagging injuries have limited his availability enough that he hasn’t been a real candidate for the All-Star Game over the past few seasons, although he’s good enough to be in the conversation each year. If the Knicks are hoping for a top-15 player, they aren’t getting it with Ingram.
Even so, he’s just 25 years old, averaged 25-5-6 last season, and has the versatility to play either forward position. That’s the kind of player you invest in, and playing alongside Jalen Brunson he could absolutely thrive. This isn’t a deal the Knicks have to make, but it might be one they should make.
