Getty New York Knicks guard Alec Burks dribbles the ball past Anthony Davis during a November 23 game against the Los Angeles Lakers.
When the NBA’s February 10th trade deadline came and went without a New York Knicks blockbuster, fans were admittedly surprised, given the struggling nature of the team.
Julius Randle had regressed from his All-NBA form, they’d been hampered with injuries to key members from last year’s roster, and their offseason signings had fallen short of expectation.
Alas, the only move they made was weeks prior, acquiring young wing Cam Reddish from the Atlanta Hawks.
But that doesn’t mean Leon Rose and the front office brass didn’t try to pull off deals.
In fact, recent reporting suggests they were very active at the trade deadline, despite the end result of a largely unchanged New York Knicks roster.
Lakers, Knicks Talked Alec Burks Deal
In some of his latest reporting for the New York Post, Marc Berman confirmed that the New York Knicks and Los Angeles Lakers had trade discussions prior to the February 10th deadline.
And that it was Alec Burks who was nearly dealt to Hollywood:
Burks, whom the Knicks entertained dealing to the Lakers at the trade deadline to open cap space, shrugs off the new role.
Burks, whom the Knicks entertained dealing to the Lakers at the trade deadline to open cap space, shrugs off the new role.
Berman is no doubt referencing the reports of a three-team deal that would have brought point guard Goran Dragic and draft picks to the Big Apple, as first reported by Hoops Hype’s Michael Scotto:
Sources: The Lakers, Knicks and Raptors have discussed a 3-team trade.
Lakers get Cam Reddish and Alec Burks.
Knicks get Goran Dragic and draft picks.
Raptors get Talen Horton-Tucker and Nerlens Noel.
There’s also a chance Kendrick Nunn is added to the trade as talks continue
But what’s interesting about Berman’s reporting is the line about cap space.
Any previous reporting about New York looking to unload Burks was always tied to the stipulation that a deal would open up playing time for Cam Reddish.
Are the Knicks looking to go big fish hunting this summer?
And furthermore, could Anthony Davis be a name to watch?
Lowe, Simmons Talk AD to NY
On the latest episode of the Lowe Post podcast, ESPN’s Zach Lowe hosted longtime associate Bill Simmons to discuss the ongoing of the NBA, and ultimately, potential Anthony Davis trades for the offseason.
Because after averaging 23.1 points and 9.7 rebounds this season, trading him may be the only path to a significant roster upgrade for the Los Angeles Lakers.
Enter the New York Knicks, among many other potential suitors.
But as Bill Simmons notes on his podcast appearance, there are a lot of moving pieces to any trade framework:
I looked at the Knicks, I tried to make it happen because Wes and Leon are there. And it’s just like, Randle has to be in it, there’s all these contracts, picks. It actually doesn’t make sense for either team. I crossed it off.
He’s not wrong about the complexity to any potential deal, and it’s largely vested on Davis’s $35-million salary.
That means that in order to make the money match, New York would have to include Julius Randle and (at least) one of Derrick Rose or Evan Fournier.
On top of that, Los Angeles would likely ask for some combination of young talent and draft picks, requiring a large share of the asset pool Leon Rose has compiled since taking over in 2020.
If you’re the New York Knicks, how comfortable are you moving forward with a Davis-RJ Barrett duo?
Because that’s what you would be left with after a trade of this caliber.
Unlikely to say the least.
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