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The New York Knicks are rumored to be in the market to offload several players between now and February’s trade deadline, with three of the most buzzed-about names being Evan Fournier, Derrick Rose, and, most recently, Cam Reddish.
In a December 9 piece penned by David Vertsberger of SNY, a trade was concocted where all three of said players are seen being offloaded in a deal that would bring Russell Westbrook to the Big Apple.
The trade package proposed reads as follows:
New York Knicks receive
- Russell Westbrook
Los Angeles Lakers receive
- Evan Fournier
- Derrick Rose
- Cam Reddish
- Future first-round pick
Though perhaps not the perennial All-Star and MVP candidate that he once was, Vertsberger’s reasoning for why the Knicks may wish to consider pursuing this deal for Westbrook has nothing to do with his contributions on the court but, ironically, the benefits that would grace their payroll.
Despite the heavy initial hit that comes with the point guard and his monstrous $47.1 million salary for 2022-23, after the season his current five-year, $206 million deal comes off the books, thus, giving Leon Rose and company financial flexibility that they would not have with even just Fournier (owed potential total of $55.8 million through 2025) still in tow.
Now, while the idea of adding a first-round pick into the mix may not be seen as an ideal move amongst some Knicks fans, considering they own the rights to a whopping nine first-rounders over the next five seasons, using one of their lower-value selections in a salary-shedding transaction should result in little to no negative repercussions.
Should New York execute this deal, and they opt to incorporate Westbrook into their rotation, they’d be adding on a seasoned veteran who has a proven track record of success throughout his 15-year tenure and could help lead the club’s second unit where, at the moment, he’s posting averages of 15.0 points, 8.0 assists, and 5.4 rebounds whilst serving in such a role for LA.
However, even if the front office has zero intentions of having him suit up in the orange and blue threads and, in turn, decide to waive him, it could still very easily prove to be a positive move for the franchise to make, for it would still create highly desired financial flexibility moving forward that would allow them to pursue several top-billed talents as soon as this summer.
At the very least, the New York Knicks should strongly consider the idea of executing this, or a move similar to this.
Lakers ‘Best Potential Fit’ For Knicks Forward?
Los Angeles being tabbed as a suitable trade partner for the Knicks this season should come as no surprise, as they’ve been reported as being interested in each one of these players at some point so far this season.
Just recently, SNY’s NBA Insider Ian Begley went as far as to report that since Cam Reddish has been in New York dating back to January 13, there have been several teams who have inquired about his availability, and among those mentioned were the Lakers.
Since this report surfaced, some have gone as far as to label Los Angeles as being “the best potential fit” for the former lottery pick’s services, and, considering their need for perimeter shooting — shoot the second-fewest 3-point attempts in the entire league this season with 30.2 per game — perhaps attaching a talent like Evan Fournier into the mix (career 38% 3-point shooter) like Vertsberger suggested in his proposal could be a nice sweetener.
Knicks a Possible Landing Spot for Wizards Forward
Los Angeles isn’t the only team viewed as a viable trade partner for the Knicks this season, as Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report stated in a December 10 piece that the team could be a realistic mid-season landing spot for Washington Wizards forward, Kyle Kuzma.
“Another team to keep a close eye on with Kuzma is the New York Knicks. Kuzma is represented by Austin Brown of CAA, who worked closely with colleague Leon Rose before Rose left the agency to join the Knicks as president. New York has several CAA clients, including Jalen Brunson, Julius Randle, Isaiah Hartenstein and Obi Toppin,” Pincus wrote.
Now in year six of his NBA tenure, Kuzma finds himself putting forth career-best efforts from a statistical standpoint, as he’s boasting impressive per-game averages of 21.4 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 3.6 assists on 46.2% shooting from the floor.
However, despite his production, it is being reported that the 27-year-old “wants out” of Washington D.C. this offseason, as he’ll be a free agent and, in all likelihood, will be in search of a bigger payday than what the Wizards can seem to afford.
Because of this, rather than risk losing him for nothing during the summer, it is believed that the franchise could look to shop him before the trade deadline, and, should this happen, considering his ties to Leon Rose, the Knicks are viewed as a realistic destination for the former NBA champion.
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