The New York Knicks are in the midst of another bad season, but for once, the vibe is positive. With Kristaps Porzingis out, no one expected the Knicks to compete this year. The Knicks are currently 9-26 on the season and have lost nine of their last 10.
First-year head coach David Fizdale has made it clear that this season is about player development and he has been true to his word. The Knicks have thrown many different rotations on the floor and different players are not playing every night. They have promising young talent in Kevin Knox, Allonzo Trier and Mitchell Robinson to go along with Tim Hardaway Jr. and Enes Kanter. None of these guys can be top options on a team that will contend. That's why the plan in New York is to land a superstar to pair with Porzingis.
Next season, Knicks fans are dreaming of Porzingis returning, landing Kevin Durant and drafting either R.J. Barrett or Zion Williamson from Duke. All of that seems too good to be true for the orange and blue. If the Knicks want to lure any free agents, they must get stronger at the point guard position. Trey Burke and Emmanuel Mudiay have handled most of the work at the position but they are not reliable starting guards moving forward. There are trades to be made for the Knicks thanks to their young assets and if they decide to make a deal, it must be for a point guard.
John Wall, Washington Wizards
Let's throw it out there. Wall is averaging 20.7 points and 8.7 assists per game this season. He has delivered 19 points and 9.2 assists per game for his career. In New York, a big time market, the Knicks need big time players. Wall is one of the best point guards in the league. He is on a Wizards team that is 13-21 this season. The Wizards have under achieved in what seems like every season since they selected Wall first overall. This is Wall's ninth season and Washington has been to the playoffs four times. They have yet to make it past the Conference Semi-Finals, losing three times in that round and once in the first.
The Wizards pictured big things for their franchise when they paired Wall and Bradley Beal but the two have yet to win anything. Time is running out for Wall in Washington because the patience of the front office has to be low. Despite his talent, if a team is not winning it is time to make a change and Wall could be the first to move.
This is not an attractive option for Knicks fans because Wall has a reputation of being a poor locker room guy. Also, at what cost would he be sent? the Knicks will most likely be in the top-five in the lottery and have a chance at a top-three pick to land a Duke freshman. It would be ill-advised to send that pick to Washington in return for Wall. If a deal can be done without it, then it could be a possibility for New York.
Terry Rozier, Boston Celtics
This was a name that had ties to the Knicks earlier in the year. New York had an eye on Rozier after he made a name for himself in last year's playoffs. Rozier is averaging 8.5 points per game this season as the backup point guard on a Celtics team that is in disarray. Kyrie Irving handles the point guard position and said he would like to stay in Boston long term. This opens the door for a potential Rozier trade.
This is a more attractive trade for the Knicks than Wall because of the return. Boston would not look for much in a Rozier trade. They might try to squeeze a little extra out of a team they are rivals with. Rozier burst on the scene in last year's Eastern Conference Semi-Finals when he averaged 19 points over five games against the Sixers.
He has never had a chance to be the main point guard and that may make people nervous but he has the toughness and grit to be a starter. That along with the Knicks familiarity and like for him, could be a reason they make a run for him before the trade deadline. As of now, Rozier has not been made available but the Knicks should inquire.
Frank Ntilikina, New York Knicks
Yes, Ntilikina is already on the Knicks. This is an announcement saying that the Knicks need to trade him immediately. It is time for them to admit that they made a mistake when drafting him eighth overall and part ways. Ntilikina is still 20 years old and will need time to develop. This is not particularly saying that the Knicks are giving up. But it would be wise to think about trading him before his stock is completely gone. It is clear that he is not the point guard of the future.
Ntilikina is averaging 6.3 points and 2.6 assists in 31 games, 14 starts, so far this season. He has expressed his displeasure in his role on the team. Fizdale has been rotating his players to try and see who can help them in the future. Ntilikina does not do anything well offensively.
He has a poor jump shot and has not shown the ability to get to the basket consistently. Defensively, he has potential to be great but his offense needs a lot of work. Ntilikina was a lottery pick who would like to play and moving forward, he will not be the Knicks long term point guard.
The Knicks have received calls from teams expressing interests in the young point guard. The Suns were interested in pairing Ntilikina with their star Devin Booker. Moving forward, the Knicks still have leverage with Ntilikina. The eighth overall pick just a year ago and professional experience playing in France can help their cause but they are running out of time. This would be the year to trade Ntilikina and get something in return before making a hard push in free agency.
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