Getty James Harden #1 of the Philadelphia 76ers passes the ball back to Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers in front of RJ Barrett #9 of the New York Knicks.
The New York Knicks have resisted trading for lesser-tier All-Stars with the hope of landing the elusive superstar that will lift them into a title contender status.
The wait hinges on the outcome of the messy situation in Philadelphia.
According to Hoopshype’s Michael Scotto, “The Knicks are monitoring how the [James] Harden saga plays out in Philadelphia and will affect the happiness of MVP Joel Embiid.”
“The Knicks have long admired Embiid and have significant draft capital to dangle. Embiid’s former agent was Leon Rose, who now leads New York’s front office,” Scotto added.
Embiid’s recent comments about his future at The UNINTERRUPTED Film Festival last week opened the door for the Knicks to dream about the possibility of pairing him with their rising star point guard Jalen Brunson.
“I just want to win a championship, whatever it takes,” Embiid told SpringHill Entertainment CEO Maverick Carter. “I don’t know where that’s going to be — whether in Philly or anywhere else — I just want to have a chance to accomplish that. I want to see what it feels like to win that first one, and then you think about the next one. It’s not easy. It takes more than one, two, three guys. You got to have good people around you. Every single day, I work hard to be at that level so I can produce and make it happen. Every single day I’m working towards that goal.”
If the Sixers cannot get an All-Star back for Harden, will it push Embiid to start looking for that “anywhere else?”
That is the biggest question hanging over the Harden situation in Philadelphia that the Knicks are keenly awaiting the answer.
No matter how Embiid tried to downplay his comments later on Twitter and in a conversation with Sixers President Daryl Morey, ESPN’s Zach Lowe isn’t buying his excuse.
“All the teams with draft picks, the Knicks are lurking, and Joel tried to, on Twitter, kind of play this off, ‘Oh, I’m a troll. I’m just trolling.’ I don’t buy it. He’s too smart for that. He knows exactly what he’s doing by saying that. He knows the door that he’s opening,” Lowe said on the July 17 episode of his “The Lowe Post” podcast.
The Knicks have eight tradable picks (four unprotected and four from other teams with varying protections), pick swaps and a slew of young players.
Knicks-Bulls Zach LaVine Trade Talks Never Got Close
The Chicago Bulls’ high asking price for All-Star wing Zach LaVine have turned off the Knicks, according to a report from The Athletic.
“Other All-Stars have trickled in and out of the rumor mill over the years, including this summer. New York made contact with the Chicago Bulls about their shooting guard, Zach LaVine, but the asking price for the two-time All-Star was “giant,” as one league source told The Athletic, which is exactly why LaVine remains in Chicago. The Knicks and Bulls, according to league sources, never got close,” The Athletic’s Fred Katz reported on Thursday.
Knicks Add Ex-Timberwolves Big on Two-Way Deal
The Knicks signed former Minnesota Timberwolves big man Nathan Knight to a two-way deal, according to Anil Gogna, Director of Strategy of Thread Sports Management & Cap Specialist of No Trade Clause.
The 6-foot-10 Knight averaged 3.7 points and 1.5 rebounds in 7.7 minutes across 38 games last season with the Timberwolves. The 253-pound Syracuse native can play both the center and power forward positions.