Knicks’ Mitchell Robinson Could Lure Warriors’ D’Angelo Russell to NYC

The NBA’s trading deadline is set for Thursday at 3 PM ET.

The million dollar question: Will D’Angelo Russell be traded?

That’s a complicated question that will likely give you a complicated answer.

On Monday, it was revealed that the New York Knicks have had significant interest in Russell.

The Knicks offered Bobby Portis, Kevin Knox, Frank Ntilikina, Allonzo Trier and a second round pick to the Golden State Warriors in exchange for D’Angelo Russell, I’m told.

The Warriors weren’t interested in that trade package and informed the Knicks that they’d budge on a deal if New York could formulate a package that included Knicks big man, Mitchell Robinson and a unprotected first round pick added to that offer.

With a Thursday afternoon trade deadline approaching, what’s next?

The Knicks currently sit in 13th place in the NBA’s Eastern Conference and currently hold a 15-36 record. Winners of two straight games and with rumors of Marcus Morris potentially being traded as well, the orange and blue need as much scoring help as they could muster up. But they also need a veteran point guard presence.

In recent days, names like Oklahoma City Thunder backup point guard, Dennis Schroeder have emerged.

But, D’Angelo Russell’s name keeps emerging as reported Tuesday afternoon by The Athletic’s Shams Charania.

Is it fate? Will D’Angelo Russell get a second act in NYC?

“New York fans can be brutal and they can be loving at the same time,” D’Angelo Russell said Tuesday afternoon after Warriors practice in Manhattan.

“However they decide to react, I don’t really care. I’m just looking forward to being in that atmosphere and playing.”

Currently averaging 23.6 points, 3.7 rebounds and 6.2 assists per contest for the 12-40 Warriors, Russell, a former Los Angeles Lakers and Brooklyn Nets point guard gave the Big Apple a sneak peak of what could be.

Russell led all Warriors scorers with 17 points, 3 rebounds and 3 assists in the Dubs’ 129-88 loss to the Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant-less Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday night.

The second pick in the 2015 NBA Draft, a source familiar with Russell’s thinking within the Nets organization told me that Russell wanted to buy an apartment in Manhattan this past summer once he signed a big deal.

“I love this city,” Russell told me at his basketball camp this past summer.

“It’s fun its fun. You know, it’s a city that loves basketball, there’s a court on every corner, maybe two.”

Russell did sign a big deal this offseason. But he wouldn’t remain in New York.

Part of a sign and trade deal between the Brooklyn Nets and the Golden State Warriors, Russell was shipped to the Warriors in exchange for fellow All Star, Kevin Durant.

Russell potentially joining the Minnesota Timberwolves and becoming their point guard has been a consistent topic of conversation dating back to this past summer.

For those taking notes: Russell and Timberwolves big man, Karl-Anthony Towns are close friends.

In an interview with SLAM Magazine this past fall, Russell shared that he plans to team up with Towns and Phoenix Suns swingman, Devin Booker at some point during their careers. “We gotta do this again,” said Russell.

“When we’re all on the same team. Nah, don’t cut it. “Y’all got it on footage. When we’re all on the same team—I ain’t gonna tell you which team because I don’t know—we’re gonna do this again.”

On September 23, 2018, Towns signed a five-year, $190 million super-maximum extension with the Timberwolves.

Currently, Russell is under contract for four more seasons. Towns and Booker are both under contract with their respective teams for five more years.

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