Great haul for NewYork.
They get a tremendous PG project with gobs of athleticism and a much improving shot.
They get 2 first round picks.
They opened up $40+ million in cap space for next year.
They dumped $50 million in future salary.
They have the possibility of buying out Jordan and Matthews for less than they are owed and save millions.
For bad contracts and an inexperienced young guy who will have played just 48 out of 164 games come end of this year, that is saying he is going to sign the QO and then bolt. THAT'S A STEAL!!!
It’s a salary dump and banking on free agency next summer. They are the Knicks, unless they already know someone is coming they are swinging with a whiff once again only to max the Tobias Harris’ of the world.
They shouldn't.
They should target TWO guys and two guys alone, Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. If they miss out on both, just develop the young guys they have in Kevin Knox, Dennis Smith, Jr., Mitchell Robinson and whoever they select in the 2019 draft, and roll the cap space for next year by signing players on one year deals.
Either go for the cream of the crop or continue the rebuild/development path. Any other direction would not be ideal.
I actually think if Irving stays here (hopefully), then NYK could go after Kemba. I think that's an intriguing fit there.
Why would Irving leave his current supporting cast (Smart, Brown, Tatum, Hayward, Horford, Baynes, Williams) to play with Leonard or Durant with the Knicks group ('19 top 5 pick, Smith, Ntilikina, Trier, Dotson, Knox, Robinson)?
I do think that Walker would take the chance. Yes, Kemba Walker and Tobias Harris are likely options to go to the Knicks. That's probably enough to become a first round playoff exit in the East, but you did have Porzingis. That would hurt me if I were a Knicks fan.
I saw that Walker becomes 29 in May and so far in his career he has won 3 playoff games...
That's sad.