1: Trade for Zion Williamson
It’s been over four years since the 2019 NBA Draft Lottery revealed that the Knicks would have the No. 3 pick in the upcoming draft and therefore miss out on selecting Zion Williamson. Between the drama that’s been surrounding Zion and Ja Morant’s 25-game suspension for 2023-24, selecting RJ Barrett was a blessing in disguise for New York.
There hasn’t been any chatter about the Grizzlies shopping Ja, but the same can’t be said for the Pelicans and Zion. Bill Simmons said on his podcast that a reliable source he spoke to believes that Zion won’t be on New Orleans’ roster come Thursday, the day of the draft. If that’s true, New York could be weighing the pros and cons of taking on him and the supermax contract that he signed last year.
If the Knicks do trade for Zion, they wouldn’t be doing so to receive a 2023 pick in return. Instead, New York would be sending first-round picks to New Orleans. Regardless, Zion being traded to the Knicks would be more than enough to overshadow the draft’s festivities, especially if it happens between now and Thursday night.
None of this is to say that New York should consider adding Zion, but maybe the Knicks believe that they could help set the 22-year-old on the right path. It wouldn’t come without taking a huge risk, though.
9 Players the New York Knicks gave up on way too soon
The New York Knicks gave up on these nine players way too soon, chasing win-now options and living to regret it in every case.