Potential Knicks Blockbuster Trade in Limbo: The Luster Has Worn Off

The New York Knicks stood pat at the NBA trade deadline, meaning they decided to roll on forward with what they already had, and the results have been as expected.

The losing has kept up and the Knicks are now facing a very realistic possibility of missing the playoffs and the NBA play-in tournament completely, a massive 180 degree turn from the previous season where they secured the 4th seed in the east.

In true Knicks fashion, the team was banking on the ability to lure a star to New York, whether that was Damian Lillard, Donovan Mitchell, Kevin Durant or whatever big name player you can name, but the results haven’t been kind to them.

Thanks to some strong drafting, the Knicks do have a nice selection of young talent, but that might not be enough to flip into a true superstar through a trade. In a column from ESPN’s Tim Bontemps, he goes into the dilemma the team finds themselves in.

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Can The Knicks Get a Star?

A quote from a Western Conference executive to Bontemps really shines a light on the issue facing New York.

The core consisting of RJ Barrett, Immanuel Quickley, Obi Toppin and Quentin Grimes all have promise, but they don’t seem to be enough to entice a team for a trade.

“If they are going to give up their picks and swaps to get someone, it doesn’t matter who they are trading,” the exec said. “But if their hope was to turn these guys into good players by themselves, I’d be hard-pressed to see a team thinking they’ll take that for a star.”

Bontemps states the the mixture of players has “worn some of the luster off” a potential trade for a star player. That doesn’t mean something isn’t possible, but fans hoping to let go some of the younger talent in exchange for somebody might not want to hold their breath.

With the trade of CJ McCollum, Lillard figures to be more available than ever, but it might be easier said than done for the Knicks.

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What Does the Offseason Look Like?

For Knicks fans, it’s looking like the next exciting development will come in the offseason which is when an overhaul can take place.

There’s a big question mark with Mitchell Robinson and whether he’ll stick with the team or not. He’s started to become a bit more outspoken about his role with the team, and it seems his frustrations are boiling over.

Big name signings like Evan Fournier and Kemba Walker haven’t moved the needle for the team, but it sounds like Walker will be out the door once the offseason arrives. There will be many different routes the team can take once the season wraps up, and names they’ve been linked to are certainly enticing, but the track record of Knicks attracting stars to Madison Square Garden as of late have been abysmal.

Perhaps this could be the offseason that everything gets turned around, but it could be difficult luring top talent to the team with such a young roster to build around. This season has shown it doesn’t look like the Knicks are ready for the big time just yet, but RJ Barrett appears to have a bright future at least.

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