NBA Trades: 6 Deals Portland must consider for Damian Lillard
By Cal Durrett
NBA Trades #3: New York Knicks
After failing to land Donovan Mitchell last summer, the New York Knicks have been linked to several stars but have yet to actually land one. It is no coincidence that their name keeps coming up in trade rumors since they have a combination of large expiring contracts, good young players, and plenty of draft picks.
Those three things are often key to pulling off a blockbuster deal, and the Knicks’ hypothetical trade package might be of some interest to the Blazers. Evan Fournier has a big expiring contract, which means that they won’t have to take back two or three smaller contracts in his place. RJ Barrett is a promising young player on an affordable contract with three years remaining, while Immanuel Quickley is an in-demand young point guard who is making just $4.1 million next season.
Throw in three first-round picks, and the Knicks would actually have a respectable offer for Lillard. Their offer would depend on how the Blazers view Barrett, who isn’t everyone’s cup of coffee. But if they like him and Quickley, then that would be five assets in return for Lillard, far more than what most teams can offer.
For the Knicks, they’d add Lillard to a core of Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle, who helped their team overachieve last season. With Dame as their best player, the Knicks could reach new heights and give themselves enough firepower to go toe-to-toe with some of the East’s best teams in the playoffs and win.