The New York Knicks are trying to free up cap space to snag Jalen Brunson this offseason, and they’ll need to get around $25 million in order to do so.
It’s no secret the Knicks need to land a point guard this summer, and landing Brunson would do just that. With the plan being to offer him a four-year, $100 million contract, they’ll need to free up a little bit more money for there.
Dumping Kemba Walker to the Pistons was a starter, but additional moves are needed. Because of that, the Knicks have been discussing a trade that would ship Nerlens Noel to the Clippers.
It’s been reported before the Knicks were exploring a Noel trade, but now there’s even more traction to it coming from HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto.
Noel Trade Gaining Traction
Sources: The New York Knicks have had exploratory discussions on trading center Nerlens Noel to the Los Angeles Clippers.
Plus, NBA executives share their free agency projections for Anfernee Simons, Kevon Looney and Gary Payton II. More on @hoopshype.
With Mitchell Robinson expected to come back, Noel might be considered to be more expendable, especially considering the Knicks navigated through most of the past season without him.
The Clippers, on the other hand, are in the market for a new center and they could use the talents of Noel.
“The New York Knicks have had exploratory discussions on trading center Nerlens Noel to the Los Angeles Clippers, league sources told HoopsHype,” wrote Scotto. “Noel could fit into the Clippers’ $9.7 million trade exception previously generated by the Serge Ibaka trade. The Knicks have a surplus of draft pick compensation (22 picks total over the next seven years) to dangle.”
If Noel left town, the Knicks would still have Robinson in the event he returns as well as Taj Gibson (if he returns) and Jericho Sims.
Trading Noel would be big for the Knicks because it’d allow them to free up his salary of $9.2 million next season, effectively opening the door for Brunson to come to New York. Of course, landing Brunson isn’t as simple as offering him a deal.
Will Brunson Leave Dallas?
Brunson has a lot of ties to New York that could entice him to join the Knicks. One major example of that is Rick Brunson, his father, is now a coach on the staff, so he’d be reunited with family if he did join them.
However, the Mavericks are gearing up for a title run with the addition of Christian Wood. If they are able to retain Brunson on top of that, the Mavs have a dangerous team going into next season.
Wood is able to stretch the floor a bit while also adding athleticism to the center position. He’ll be able to catch lobs from Luka Doncic, similar to Dwight Powell, but he’ll add a bit more offense.
If Brunson wants to take on more of a leading role somewhere, the Knicks would be a good option for that, but if he wants a championship soon then staying in Dallas would be better.
It’s a tough decision for him to make, but no matter what he decides to do he’ll be paid nicely. If the Knicks miss out on him, they’ll have to shift gears and land a different guard.
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Knicks Talking Trade With Western Conference Rival: Report