New York Knicks trade J.R. Smith, win three-team trade

The New York Knicks, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Oklahoma City Thunder agreed to a six-player trade on Monday

In a three-team deal between the New York Knicks, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Oklahoma City Thunder announced Monday night, the Knicks traded shooting guards J.R. Smith and Iman Shumpert to the Cavs for Lou Amundson, Alex Kirk, and Lance Thomas (from the Thunder). Dion Waiters went to OKC in the deal, according to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst and Marc Stein.

My initial reaction was “this is great for the Knicks!”

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Instead of cranking out thousands of words about the crazy trade right away like everyone else, I wanted to wait a day or two to let the trade sink in and see if it actually made sense for the Knicks.

After mulling it over, I realized the Knicks made out like low-level bank robbers, who just swiped a couple stacks from the bank around the corner from their house and, of course, didn’t get caught.

I can’t remember a New York Knicks trade that turned out this well!

It’s not a Ocean’s 11, 12, or 13-type heist. The Knicks didn’t get LeBron James or Kevin Durant in the trade, but they did get something almost as good in the NBA: flexibility.

It’s the type of move the Knicks wouldn’t have made in previous seasons, and Phil Jackson deserves praise for executing a deal that didn’t bury the Knicks even further with salary cap complications. Amundson, Kirk, and Thomas are all on non-guaranteed contracts, which means the Knicks can waive them any time after today without any penalty. The Knicks also waived Samuel Dalembert to make room for the Amundson, Kirk, and Thomas.

With flexibility, likely, for the next few years, the Knicks have a chance to actually build the team they want, rather than trying to make-do with what they had.

The Knicks did give up two talented players, though, and I understand that can be disappointing to Knicks fans.

J.R. Smith Stats

Provided by Basketball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 1/7/2015.

While Smith is a good 3-point shooter, 37 percent in his career, Smith is an against-the-grain-type of player. There’s very few people who can get the best out of Smith and get him to commit to doing anything other than what he wants to do.

Honestly, Smith wasn’t in the Knicks plans moving forward, so he had to go sooner rather than later.

Iman Shumpert Stats

Provided by Basketball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 1/7/2015.

Shumpert, on the other hand, could have been a valuable asset to the Knicks, if they could get him to be a 3-and-D player in the triangle offense. I’m not certain Shumpert couldn’t have been that player given an opportunity and a full season with Derek Fisher to get better.

Shumpert was the Knicks only real trade asset, because he has (or had) the defensive skills that could possibly help a championship contender. Although he’s injured now, I’m willing to bet Shumpert was the player the Cavs actually wanted, and the Knicks weren’t going to give him up without the Cavs taking Smith or giving up a valuable draft pick.

For the Cavs, Waiters wasn’t a good fit for what they were trying to do, and all of that speculation Waiters would somehow become the next Dwyane Wade was and is utterly ridiculous. Giving up Waiters isn’t going to dramatically alter their title chances, but taking on Smith and Shumpert isn’t either.

Unless the Cavs make another move and get a rim protector, they have no chance of getting by the Bulls in Eastern Conference playoffs. Pau Gasol, Taj Gibson, and Joakim Noah will destroy Kevin Love and Tristan Thompson.

This trade doesn’t make the Cavs that much better, but it doesn’t really make them worse, unless Smith was sent by the Knicks to destroy the Cavs from inside-out.

I like Waiters on the Thunder a little more than I like Waiters on the Cavs, but it’s not much. With Russell Westbrook, Kevin Durant, Reggie Jackson, and Anthony Morrow all playing well, I don’t see where Waiters fits into their rotation. I guess, Waiters is a nice insurance policy if any of their guards get injured.

As Tim Legler said right after the trade news broke, Perry Jones and Jeremy Lamb can now be moved, so the Thunder might not be done making moves this season.

Obviously, time will tell which of the three teams won this trade in the longterm. For now, the Knicks won this trade because they cleared cap space, will have open roster spots once they waive Amundson, Kirk, and Thomas, and unloaded two older players who were limiting the growth of the Knicks young players.

Shane Larkin, Cleanthony Early, and Tim Hardaway Jr. now step into rotation roles for the rest of the season, and the Knicks have the time to help them improve. While I doubt Larkin, Early, and Hardaway will ever be superstars, they all have the ability to be solid players in the NBA, but they need playing time to improve.

Unlike their cross-town rivals, the Brooklyn Nets, the Knicks finally have room to do whatever they want this summer. With a top pick in the 2015 draft and $35 million in salary coming off the books with Amar’e Stoudemire’s expiring contract and Andrea Bargnani’s expiring contract, the Knicks have a clear path to getting better in the future.

Let’s hope they don’t screw it up like they have for the last 15 years.

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