The Knicks are expected to be major players this NBA offseason, but New York apparently couldn’t wait until summer to send shockwaves around the league.
Kristaps Porzingis reportedly is on his way to Dallas after the Knicks struck a blockbuster deal with the Mavericks late Thursday afternoon. The trade came mere hours after news broke that Porzingis reportedly was concerned about the future of the franchise, but the Knicks apparently have a plan in place after all.
According to The Athletic’s Frank Isola, New York will fixate its focus on acquiring two of the NBA’s best in free agency.
Both Tim Hardaway Jr. and Courtney Lee reportedly are headed to Dallas in the Porzingis trade as well, which will give the Knicks even more salary cap flexibility this summer. But will money alone be enough to bring both Durant and Irving to the Big Apple?
It will be tough for Irving to find a better situation than the one he has in Boston, and the star point guard already has vocalized his intention to re-sign with the Celtics at season’s end. While nothing is official until Irving signs the dotted line, he could be all the more enticed to stay with the C’s if they ultimately swing a deal for Anthony Davis.
And on the topic of great situations, what more could Durant ask for in Golden State? While Klay Thompson’s impending free agency will threaten the breakup of the Warriors’ core four, Durant very well could opt to remain with the Dubs if winning champions is his top priority.
So while Knicks’ desire to load up makes all the sense in the world, it’s certainly no slam dunk that their “grand plan” actually comes to fruition.
