Insider Pours Cold Water on Potential Sign and Trade for Jalen Brunson

Jalen Brunson’s name continues to be linked with the New York Knicks, and we can expect that to continue as the off-season begins to heat up.

The Knicks need a starting point guard, ideally with star-level potential, but with limited cap space, getting a deal done might be tricky. Perhaps that’s why Brunson is often discussed as a potential sign-and-trade option for the Knicks. Recently, many have postulated the possibility of Mitchell Robinson heading in the opposite direction.

On paper, a double sign-and-trade makes total sense. The Knicks get the point guard they so desperately need, and the Dallas Mavericks obtain a legitimate seven-foot rim protector to shore up their defense. However, according to ESPN’S Bobby Marks, a package centered around those two players will be virtually impossible.

Speaking to the New York Post’s Marc Berman at the NBA Draft Combine, Marks detailed why the rulebook will limit the Knicks’ chances of killing two birds with one stone, thus making Brunson’s potential arrival seem far less likely.

“I have never seen two base-year players traded for each other on a sign-and-trade. It’s like putting together a Rubik’s cube. One side might work, but not the other,” Mark’s told Berman.

So, with the cap rules throwing up a stop sign regarding sending out Robinson and bringing in Brunson, the Knicks lose what is likely the best scenario. Of course, if they’re smitten with the talented scorer, they will have to free up some cap space via trade or include a third party in any potential deal.

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What is a Base Year Player?

You may be reading this article and asking yourself what being a base-year player actually means, but don’t worry, all is about to be revealed. During his conversation with Berman, Marks explained the basics of what a base-year player is and why adding two of them into a sign-and-trade deal isn’t feasible.

“Because both Robinson and Brunson were second-round picks in 2018 who signed minimum contracts, they will be considered base-year compensation players. An equal trade of salary money can’t be done, even if the players’ new actual wages match exactly.

The mathematics can’t work because their new salaries would count differently in a sign-and-trade scenario. For instance, Brunson’s projected $20 million salary would count as $10 million coming to the Knicks,” Berman wrote for the New York Post.

Of course, the Knicks front office likely already knew this information and is working on a different course of action; what that action is still remains to be seen. Still, with Kemba Walker likely to leave during the summer, and growing concerns about Derrick Rose’s sustainability throughout a full season, New York needs to locate and acquire a new guard this off-season; otherwise, they might struggle to be competitive throughout the 2022-23 NBA season.

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Looking Towards the Draft

If Brunson looks to be unattainable for New York, they can always lean into their youth movement and acquire a new floor general via the NBA Draft. In fact, multiple analysts are predicting Kentucky Guard TyTY Washington falls into their laps with the 11th pick.

Washington is known as a playmaking guard who bosts good speed, size, length, and basketball IQ. However, the incoming rookie does lack explosiveness and athleticism. Still, given the Knicks’ current roster, New York can deal with a vertically challenged guard in their rotation, especially if they keep hold of Obi Toppin, who would be the ideal play finisher to put alongside Washington, as would RJ Barrett.

An Eastern Conference executive, who spoke to Heavy.com under the condition of anonymity, recently noted how Washington’s skill set would be ideal when considering what the Knicks are looking for in a point guard.

“That is a good fit for them. He is a smart, solid playmaker, a pretty good shooter, crafty kind of scorer. Probably not an All-Star, but his best days as a point guard are ahead of him,” The executive said.

Of course, New York could also decide to include the 11th pick in the upcoming draft as part of a larger trade, but when it comes to the Knicks, they like to keep their cards close to their chest, so we’re unlikely to see their next move coming – even if Brunson is one of the worst kept secrets in the NBA right now.

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