The New York Knicks reportedly are weighing the possibility of trading Kristaps Porzingis, and the Boston Celtics just so happen to have a treasure trove of draft picks. You do the math.
Now, we’re not saying the Celtics will trade for Porzingis. We’re not even saying the Celtics want to trade for Porzingis. But any time a big-name player is floated in trade rumors, Boston inevitably is one of the first teams mentioned due to the enviable flexibility the organization has in terms of tradeable assets.
Most of the time, it’s passionate C’s fans ranting on Twitter about whether the hometown club should or shouldn’t trade for a particular player. But every now and then, an NBA insider will chime in with a potential package, which is exactly what ESPN’s Chad Ford did Tuesday following the report that Knicks president Phil Jackson was considering trading Porzingis.
Thus, we ask you to consider the following deal, which admittedly is just Ford spitballing:
This essentially would be the equivalent of the Celtics trading the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s draft plus a player on the roster for Porzingis, as Boston just traded back from No. 1 to No. 3 in a deal with the Philadelphia 76ers, acquiring the aforementioned Los Angeles Lakers 2018 first-round pick (or another future first-rounder, depending on how things shake out) in the process.
Perhaps that’s too rich for the Celtics despite Porzingis, who turns 22 in August, being an extremely marketable star on the rise. There’s reason to believe such a package could capture the Knicks’ attention, though.
Jackson reportedly had a dinner meeting Monday night in New York with Arizona forward Lauri Markkanen, who the Knicks could consider drafting with the No. 8 pick Thursday as Porzingis’ possible replacement. The Knicks reportedly covet Kansas’ Josh Jackson, too, and acquiring the No. 3 pick from the Celtics could allow them to also draft the former Jayhawks star, as most mock drafts have Washington’s Markelle Fultz and UCLA’s Lonzo Ball going Nos. 1 and 2, respectively.
Maybe this is all crazy talk leading up to the draft, which should be entertaining, if nothing else. Porzingis, a young 7-foot-3 big man who can shoot the rock, is an incredibly intriguing possibility for any team looking to make an offseason splash, though, and a swap between Boston and New York sure would spice things up.
Thumbnail photo via Brad Penner/USA TODAY Sports Images
