New York Knicks: 3 potential trades for Anthony Davis
Trade No. 2
This is a fairly similar trade to the first one, but seems to benefit both teams tremendously.
From the New York Knicks’ standpoint, they add E’Twaun Moore to the squad, who could be a valuable piece for building a championship roster. A 3-and-D player like Moore is always welcome to any team with open arms. He can impact the game without taking too many shots, as Moore’s 43.2 percent from the 3-point line is mouth-watering.
In addition to Moore, the Knicks are also able to retain Mitchell Robinson, who has already become a fan favorite among the fanbase. Robinson could be the team’s starting center, given that Anthony Davis chooses to take over the starting power forward spot.
Over in New Orleans, the Pelicans yet again receive Dennis Smith Jr. and the rookie picked third overall in the draft, which basically translates into R.J. Barrett. But the Knicks also throw Frank Ntilikina and Kevin Knox to sweeten the pot.
But are Knox and Ntilikina really the right players to sweeten the pot? Even though Knox undeniably struggled during his rookie season, his scoring was at a promising level. It seems quite unfair to believe that his whole career trajectory should be based on his rookie season.
Dirk Nowitzki shot just 40.5 percent from the field and 20.6 percent from 3-point range during his rookie season and then went on to revolutionize the stretch-4 role in the NBA. James Harden‘s rookie stats were quite similar to the campaign we just witnessed from Knox. It is still too early to tell.
When it comes to Ntilikina, he is the type of player every dynasty needs. Take Michael Cooper, for example: an elite defender whose highest scoring average was 11.9 points per game 1981-82. He was incredibly valuable to the Showtime Los Angeles Lakers, helping them win five championships. Bruce Bowen, Ron Artest, Bobby Jones…the list goes on and on.
Frank Ntilikina could be that guy. In a really fast-paced league, people seem to believe that scoring is everything. As a result, defense is often overlooked. Ntilikina could silently become a top piece in any squad.