Grade the Trade: Knicks add Paul George in big-time trade proposal
Do the Knicks accept this trade?
The original construction of the deal for Paul George had Obi Toppin in the place of RJ Barrett; it seems like there would have needed to be more matching salary in the deal, but on the surface, Barrett is a more valuable player who is more crucial to the Knicks than Toppin. If the Knicks were hesitant before, they will be that much more hesitant with this new construction.
The concerns are clear. They would be accelerating their timeline, swapping a pair of young wings for one at the end of his prime. He has dealt with injury issues over the past couple of seasons, and at inopportune times. This is a franchise with no shortage of experience with aging, oft-injured stars; do they want to hitch their wagon to the same ride again?
On the other hand, to take the next step forward the Knicks likely need to find another star alongside Jalen Brunson. George immediately gives them championship equity, and his shooting is a game-changer: only three players have hit at least 2.5 three-pointers per game in each of the last eight seasons: Stephen Curry, Damian Lillard, and Paul George. For a team that has struggled to get threes up, George would instantly modernize their offense.
The Knicks have built a roster that is heavy with guards and light on frontcourt players. Upgrading from Barrett to George at small forward would give them plenty of depth to slot in at the 2, and they would retain plenty of draft capital, matching salary and a few young players to throw at Joel Embiid were he to come available. George’s recent injuries have been poorly timed, but they have also been independent occurrences, not necessarily signs of degeneration.
In the end, it’s a difficult call to make. George gives them the potential to contend for a title, but he also could fall off quickly as he gets older. Moving picks and two starters is a high price, as will be the contract they sign George to after the deal. Yet how else are the Knicks going to become contenders? Reasonable minds can come down on both sides of the deal, and hopefully, if this deal goes down they can negotiate into a slightly better trade package. For now, this is a good trade that is worth accepting.
Grade: B
