The Knicks could not handle Anthony Davis and the Pelicans GM taking all the headlines. On one hand, you have the Pelicans GM saying Wednesday that he was not picking up the phone for Anthony Davis trades. On the other, KP says he is unhappy in New York and in what felt like an hour after, the Knicks complete a trade to send their once thought franchise centerpiece to Dallas.
The Knicks are going to get Wesley Matthews, DJ, Dennis Smith Jr and future first round picks in exchange for KP, Courtney Lee, and Tim Hardaway Jr. I enjoy the irony of the Knicks getting Dennis Smith Jr after Phil Jackson thought it was a good idea to pass on him in the draft, throwing many Knick fans into a tirade. Also, KP was the only success from the Phil Jackson era. Aside from the irony, DSJ could become a very productive player for the Knicks. His athleticism is off the charts but has to work on his decision making. Who doesn’t have to work on their decision making for this team though?
The main and only appeal for this trade for Knick fans is that it creates cap space to sign two max players in free agency this season. Why is that appealing to fans? I have no idea to be honest. Knick fans have been sold that pipe dream before and it has not worked out to say the least. So what are the Knicks going to do? Sign two players to max deals and have shit around them? Sure, they will have a high draft pick and Kevin Knox will progress, but that’s about it. What is crazier is that the player who called KP a unicorn just so happens to be the Knicks primary target for free agency, Kevin Durant. It would seem to me that their best chance to sign Durant was to have KP be a Knick. But what do I know?
With KP still being injured, what the Mavs got in this deal is immediate backcourt depth that could help their team; although Hardaway’s contract is a disaster. Courtney Lee is still a good two way player who would fit nice with Luka Doncic. The Mavs also creates a $12.5 million trade exception and the chance to match any offer on KP in his restricted free agency this coming summer. When Luka and KP get to play together, it is absolutely going to be special. It is going to be what everyone wishes Luka and a younger Dirk could have been. Deandre Jordan and Wesley Matthews were under performing on their contracts and DSJ was becoming a headache. That being said, this deal is a win win for the Mavs as long as they retain KP.
Like I said before, this trade came out of nowhere. It tells me that the Knicks were always thinking of moving him and KP saying he was not happy was all they needed to make the decision. This was a true Woj bomb that left Knicks and NBA Twitter in a frenzy.
