The New York Knicks have one of the best rosters in the NBA led by their two All-Stars Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns. However, they are a tier below the top teams in the league such as the Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics, so they might need to make some changes in the offseason to get to their level.
ESPN mock trade has the Knicks landing Kevin Durant for two key players
One superstar player that could be available for their taking is Phoenix Suns superstar Kevin Durant. The Suns are in the midst of a disappointing season and there is an expectation that Phoenix will look to trade Durant in the summer.
ESPN’s André Snellings proposed a mock trade that would see the Knicks land Durant in exchange for OG Anunoby and Mitchell Robinson.
“In this deal, the Knicks get Durant after missing out to their crosstown rivals six years ago. The Knicks’ offense is strong but requires consistent heavy lifting from Jalen Brunson to create for the other finishers in the lineup. Well, Durant is one of the greatest finishers in NBA history and would pair with Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns to give the Knicks one of the most efficient and productive offensive cores in the NBA,” Snellings wrote.
Durant is still one of the best players in the league
Even at Durant’s advanced age of 36, he is still one of the top players in the NBA. This season with the Suns, he is averaging 26.9 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 4.2 assists and is still one of the top overall shot-makers in the league.
Adding him to the Knicks would bring a brand new dynamic to their offense. Playing him alongside Brunson and Towns could form the scariest Big 3 in the league and they would make a push for one of the most potent offenses the league has ever seen.
Of course, in Snellings’ mock trade, New York would be parting with their top two defenders in Anunoby and Robinson. Anunoby was traded to the Knicks last season and then signed a five-year, $212 million contract to stay in New York due to the tremendous impact he brought to the team on the defensive side.
The Knicks would be moving two big contracts in this mock trade
Robinson, meanwhile, has dealt with injuries over the years and missed the first 58 games of this season recovering from offseason ankle surgery. When he is on the court, he is a top offensive rebounder and prolific shot-blocker, but the lack of availability has hurt the Knicks greatly.
The contracts of both Anunoby and Robinson (four years, $60 million) would help the financials match in a deal for Durant. It would also help the Knicks get off of Robinson’s contract and open up some room to make additional moves.
The Knicks will be in for a big offseason, and they will surely be heavily in the mix in the Durant sweepstakes. It will be interesting to see if they can pull off another blockbuster deal to form a potent offense.