The Memphis Grizzlies just shipped Desmond Bane to the Orlando Magic for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Cole Anthony, four unprotected first-round picks, and one first-round pick swap. With the trade, the Knicks should now pivot their focus to trying to pry two-time All-Star Jaren Jackson Jr. away from the Grizzlies.
Now, to be clear, this idea is purely hypothetical. It is unclear if the Grizzlies are planning on making any other major moves, or if the Knicks are still considering making a big splash. They currently seem to be focused on identifying who the next head coach of the franchise would be.
That said, the Knicks have been reported to be interested in bringing in a "landmark" player this offseason. Two of the biggest names that have been floated around so far have been Kevin Durant and Giannis Antetokounmpo. However, all of the reporting up until this point indicates that the Milwaukee Bucks are not interested in moving their former MVP at this time.
Furthermore, while Durant reportedly has some level of interest in playing for the Knicks, the Knicks do not seem to share that interest. Multiple reports have stated that the Knicks will not be involved in the Durant sweepstakes.
Jaren Jackson Jr. is a better option
If the Grizzlies are interested in making more moves, and Jackson Jr. does in fact become available, he should be an extremely appealing option for the Knicks. He is a younger and better acquisition than Durant at this time in his career and would be much cheaper to land than Antetokounmpo, should things change for either he or the Bucks in the coming months.
Jackson Jr. is 25 years old and just heading into the prime years of his career. He just made the second All-Star game of his career and was named to an All-Defensive team for the third time in his career. He was also voted Defensive Player of the Year in the 2022-23 season.
Jackson Jr. is not only a phenomenal defender but also an incredible all-around player. Last season, he was by far the Grizzlies' most impactful offensive player, averaging 22.2 points, 2 assists, and 1.2 offensive rebounds per game. On top of that, he shot 37.5 percent from three on 5.3 attempts per game.
If you are not a fan of box score stats, Jackson Jr. had an Estimated Plus-Minus of +3.7 in the regular season, tied for the 14th highest mark of any player in the league. For Jackson Jr., it was the second-most impactful season of his career.