Over the last decade-plus, there has only been one time the New York Knicks were seriously involved in trade discussions for a star player. That instance was back during the 2010-11 campaign, when the Knicks acquired Carmelo Anthony from the Denver Nuggets.
Since then, the Knicks have not had the assets or the cap room to pursue such a deal, not to mention the fact that star players have not been all that interested in playing for New York during that time period anyway.
But now, things may be changing.
Anthony Davis has asked the New Orleans Pelicans for a trade, and the Knicks are considered one of the most likely destinations for the superstar big man.
The Knicks have young talent, draft picks and the financial wherewithal to acquire Davis, and it is now seriously being discussed as a real thing around the league:
https://twitter.com/willswims/status/1090322145178279943
New York unquestionably has the goods to make the Pelicans a great offer.
The Knicks have young players like Kristaps Porzingis, Kevin Knox, Allonzo Trier, and Mitchell Robinson at their disposal, not to mention the fact that there is a very good chance they will end up with a top-five pick in this summer's NBA Draft.
Porzingis alone is likely enough to get New Orleans' attention, and guys like Knox, Trier, and Robinson are talented enough to enter trade discussions. Throw in the possibility of the Knicks getting the No. 1 pick and having a chance to draft Zion Williamson, and New York has a smorgasbord of assets to offer Dell Demps.
Here is the question, though: do the Knicks want to part with Porzingis?
If I'm Knicks general manager Scott Perry, I'm doing everything in my power to keep Porzingis out of the deal, as I would want Davis to come and play with Porzingis; not in place of him.
A frontcourt duo of The Brow and The Unicorn would be near unguardable, and defensively, the Knicks would be an impenetrable wall on the interior. Plus, both guys are versatile enough to guard the pick-and-roll and switch out on the perimeter.
Of course, New York's offer for Davis certainly loses a lot of its luster if it doesn't include Porzingis.
Can the Knicks entice the Pels into making a deal without Porzingis? Well, it all depends on where New York's pick falls in the draft lottery, which is why New Orleans is most likely to wait until the summer to seriously deal with the Knicks.
If New York earns the No. 1 overall selection, the Knicks could then offer a package of the pick (Williamson), Knox, Trier and Robinson, or at least some combination of that.
Both Knox and Trier have shown their ability this year, with Trier in particular looking very impressive. Robinson has had trouble staying healthy, but when he is on the floor, he has displayed flashes of being a very solid big man, especially on the defensive end.
Then, you have Williamson, who has been compared to Charles Barkley by some.
That is not a bad package for a rebuilding team.
All of that said, the Pelicans will be trading away arguably the best power forward we have witnessed since the prime days of Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett, so that still might not be enough.
New Orleans might insist on Porzingis, who, when healthy, is quite possibly a top-five talent in basketball. There are very few bigs in history who can do what he does, and nobody at 7-foot-3 has had that type of skill.
If the Knicks do cave and surrender Porzingis, they can cut back on whatever else they send to the Pelicans, as they surely would not have to send back as many pieces in return as they would if they don't include the Latvian.
I guess if it comes down to it, you make that deal if you're New York, as we don't even know if Porzingis is ever going to be able to stay healthy. His career has been riddled with injuries thus far, including a torn ACL that has kept him sidelined since last February.
That's not to say that Davis is exactly an ironman, as he has dealt with a ton of nicks and bruises since entering the league in 2012, but he has never had any severe injuries, so he isn't as much of a risk.
The Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers can both make incredibly compelling offers to New Orleans, but if Porzingis shows he is healthy and the Knicks do ultimately nab the No. 1 overall pick, I'm not sure either team can beat an offer of Porzingis and Williamson.
Knicks fans, you might finally be getting your superstar.
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