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What has been a wild week for the NBA leading up to the Feb. 7 trade deadline got a little wilder when one of the league’s young promising stars was moved on Thursday afternoon.
A deal between the Dallas Mavericks and the New York Knicks saw Kristaps Porzingis switch teams.
The fourth overall pick of the 2015 draft was believed to be the centerpiece of the franchise for the Knicks moving forward, but amid concerns about his health and frustration with the team on his part, he was traded in a move that would have a massive effect on the entire league – including the impending Anthony Davis trade.
Since Davis announced his trade request on Monday, the race for Anthony Davis has been headlined by three prominent teams.
The Los Angeles Lakers, the Boston Celtics, and the New York Knicks are all believed to be the teams with the best chance of getting a deal done for the New Orleans Pelicans big man.
After trading away Porzingis, though, it appears the Knicks are likely out of the running.
With a bottom record in the league, the Knicks are looking like they are on their way to a high lottery pick in the 2019 draft. Their hopes for Davis hinged upon the draft lottery working in their favor and their ability to give the Pelicans the first overall pick.
However, there was still ample belief that the pick New York receives this year, especially if not the first pick of the draft, would have to be accompanied in a trade by their young star Kristaps Porzingis.
Now that he is elsewhere, and the Knicks have no significant salary to move out before the deadline or in the offseason, it is safe to say that the Knicks have removed themselves from contention in the Anthony Davis sweepstakes.
That means two big things for the league.
First, this widens the window of opportunity for the Lakers. Magic Johnson and Rob Pelinka have already been aggressive in their pursuit to get a trade pulled off prior to Feb. 7, and with one of the biggest competitors out of the game now, they can keep their foot on the gas and really keep going for it.
There is still a chance that the Pelicans will hold out and wait to hear more offers in the offseason, but considering recent reports that Davis is only looking to re-sign in the event that he winds up a Laker, the chance that Los Angeles pulls off a trade is getting stronger by the minute.
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The move of Porzingis also bears impact on the upcoming free agency.
In the deal to send KP to Dallas, New York was also able to shed the salaries of Tim Hardaway Jr. and Courtney Lee while only taking back expiring money in DeAndre Jordan and Wesley Matthews.
That means the Knicks will have over $70 million dollars to play with come this summer — enough for two max contracts. They will be able to entice any free agent that pays them a visit with as much money as they can receive, the chance not just to play in, but to revive one of the most iconic locations in the history of basketball, and a young ensemble to support them.
With young players like Kevin Knox, Dennis Smith Jr., Frank Ntilikina, Mitchell Robinson, Alonzo Trier, and a 2019 lottery pick, they could even look to flip some of those pieces into another big name or proven vets to support their free agent signings.
By the start of the 2019-20 NBA season, it would be clear just how impactful this Knicks-Mavs trade was to the timeline of events that followed.
There is even a chance that Boston, who may become worried that Kyrie may not re-sign in favor of joining the Knicks, pulls back its pursuit on trying to land Davis.
The only thing that is for sure right now is that New York has all the opportunity in the world to put together an impressive team moving forward.
It’s just up to them to make it happen.
