That the New York Knicks didn’t immediately trade for Eric Bledsoe is a great sign for the future. Steve Mills may finally be learning from early mistakes.
Historically, the New York Knicks have been on the wrong side of trade negotiations. Sending away numerous good players for Carmelo Anthony led to little success and lots of drama. Likewise, when the Knicks sent Carmelo to the Oklahoma City Thunder, they received zero first round draft picks and two limited journeymen in return.
So, when Eric Bledsoe became available for trade Monday, most Knicks fans held their breath. Everyone knew the Phoenix Suns would ask for a lot in return, as they should. Furthermore, Bledsoe had success with Jeff Hornacek in Phoenix and the Knicks need help at the guard position.
The entire situation seemed like a perfect storm for another one-sided trade in New York. Yet, somehow Eric Bledsoe remained a Sun and Steve Mills said no to an exciting guard in his prime. Maybe new general manager Scott Perry is having the positive influence most hoped he would.
Whether or not Bledsoe ends up a Knick isn’t the point of this optimism. The Knicks didn’t react hastily or attempt to make a media splash as they had done in the past. Patience is a key virtue in an NBA rebuild and it’s so-far, so-good in New York.
Too much too soon
It is still very possible that Eric Bledsoe becomes a member of the New York Knicks. Marc Berman of the NY Post reported late Monday afternoon on the Knicks’ pursuit of Bledsoe. Soon thereafter, Michael Scotto of Basketball Insiders reported the Suns wanted both Frank Ntilikina and Willy Hernangomez in a trade with the Knicks. The same report said the Knicks were against trading either player.
Under Phil Jackson or previous administrations, this trade would have happened with more splash than a fat guy doing a cannonball. Fortunately, this Knicks regime believes in its young players and sees them as more than just pawns in a public relations game. Mills and Perry may very well be open to trading Hernangomez, but not under the terms the Suns presented.
Story: Update on Phoenix Suns guard Eric Bledsoe involved in trade talks with the New York Knicks and Denver Nuggets https://t.co/gDWAZLNFEr
— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) October 23, 2017
No one in or around the New York Knicks really know what they have in Frank Ntilikina. Unless the Suns come up with something better than a disgruntled guard with a checkered injury history, Ntilikina isn’t going anywhere. Of the two, Willy is the most likely to go, but the Knicks won’t be dealing the pair.
Outside of the details of a potential trade, Knicks fans should be encouraged that a trade hasn’t happened yet. Every NBA trade is a negotiation that should benefit both teams in a positive way. If Knicks fans need a sign to trust in the new front office, their patience in the Eric Bledsoe saga is a good place to start.
Change is inevitable
Eventually, someone on the New York Knicks will be traded this season. The interesting part is ciphering who will go and who will stay. In the small, two-game sample of this season, a few players emerge as most likely to be traded.
The box score against the Detroit Pistons tells the story for Kyle O’Quinn. His 15 points, seven rebounds, three assists and one steal surely got the attention of the NBA. Furthermore, the Knicks have multiple big men that can also produce at a quality level. Jeff Hornacek may very well be playing O’Quinn to build his trade value going forward. Any team that needs a productive big man may already be calling the Knicks.
Similarly, Courtney Lee played major minutes in both games for New York. Lee even saw time at small forward despite his lack of size, experience and effectiveness. Hornacek had better defensive options at small forward with more size, but wanted to showcase Lee in that position. The only logical reason for this decision is to build up Lee’s value in the eyes of other teams.
Who and what the New York Knicks become will be largely affected by how they navigate the NBA trade market. Not jumping at flashy trade opportunities while building value in tradable assets is a great way to rebuild a team. Time will tell if James Dolan can keep his mouth closed long enough for an actual rebuild to take place.
Next: 2017-18 Week 2 NBA Power Rankings
The multitude of mistakes that have plagued the New York Knicks in the last decade may finally be in the rearview mirror. By not prematurely pulling the trigger on an Eric Bledsoe trade, the Knicks show tangible proof of progress.