The news that New York Knicks president Phil Jackson might trade Kristaps Porzingis hit the NBA world hard Wednesday night. Speculation about which teams and what packages could force Jackson to do the deal abounded.
So USA TODAY’s For The Win collected nine interesting Porzingis-related trade scenarios that everyday fans through ESPN’s NBA Trade Machine, including three involving the Boston Celtics. But the last scenario, in which Porzingis and Jimmy Butler would come to Boston in a four-team trade, was something else.
For those without the best vision, here’s what each of the three other teams would receive in the deal:
— To the Knicks: Tyler Zeller and Terry Rozier from the Celtics, and Jared Dudley and Tyler Ulis from the Phoenix Suns
— To the Chicago Bulls: Amir Johnson from the Celtics, Devin Booker and Dragan Bender from the Suns, and Justin Holiday from the Knicks
— To the Suns: Courtney Lee from the Knicks, Denzel Valentine from the Bulls and Gerald Green from the Celtics
So the Celtics essentially would trade Zeller, Rozier, Johnson and Green for two of the NBA’s best swingmen? Danny Ainge would do this trade today and twice on Sundays.
But the NBA Trade Machine doesn’t account for common sense, which tells us there’s no way the Knicks and Bulls would deal superstar talent for such mediocre returns (then again, Jackson is involved). Plus, any deal involving Porzingis and/or Butler likely would include top-five-caliber draft picks, too, and that’s not a factor in these scenarios.
Still, it’s fun to dream before the actual dealing goes down at Thursday night’s NBA draft and beyond.
Thumbnail photo via Noah K. Murray/USA TODAY Sports Images
