The New York Knicks are chasing a championship. The front office went all-in this summer, acquiring Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns. The Knicks also re-signed OG Anunoby.
However, New York could have taken things one step further at the Feb. 6 trade deadline. Unfortunately, the Dallas Mavericks never gave every other team in the NBA a fair shot at landing Luka Doncic.
In a recent article from ESPN’s Bobby Marks, he looked at how the Knicks could have enticed the Mavericks into sending Doncic to Madison Square Garden. The trade package would have looked like this:
Mavericks Get: Karl-Anthony Towns and a 2025 top-10 protected first-round pick. Or, Mikal Bridges, Josh Hart and a 2025 top-10 protected first-round pick.
Knicks Get: Luka Doncic
“Doncic and Jalen Brunson, reunited in New York,” Marks wrote. “To get there, Dallas would need to accept a lesser package than what was sent in the actual deal from the Lakers. New York has only one first-round pick they can trade (and that might be conveyed) and are top-heavy in contracts.”
Adding Doncic to the Knicks roster, with Anunoby anchoring the team on defense, could have potentially elevated them toward the top of the Eastern Conference. However, it’s unclear how Thibodeau would have managed Doncic’s offensive weaknesses, especially when factoring in Jalen Brunson‘s presence on the floor.
Knicks Could Target Kevin Durant
While Doncic is now off the table, the Knicks could potentially target Kevin Durant in the summer. The veteran forward is expected to be made available by the Phoenix Suns.
In a recent article from Bleacher Report’s Dan Favale, the long-time analyst noted how any move for Durant would likely mean sending Towns back to the Western Conference.
“Any Kevin Durant-to-the-New York Knicks scenario is predicated on the latter wanting to get out of the Karl-Anthony Towns business and the Suns (or another team) really wanting to enter it,” Favale wrote. “..Subbing out Towns for Durant also stands to help the defense if New York believes Mitchell Robinson can stay healthy (mega debatable) and/or it has the remaining assets to go nab another, more durable big.”
Favale continued.
“Framed this way, the Knicks’ potential interest isn’t nearly as far-fetched as it initially seems. Would they be willing to make a semi-nuclear shift just one year into the KAT experience? And is he enough to serve as the primary anchor of a KD trade? Both are entirely separate matters.”
Durant, unlike Doncic, is firmly in the final stage of his career. Swapping Towns for a 36-year-old star doesn’t make much sense in terms of building a sustainable championship window. However, if the Knicks are focused on the short-term, Durant is a viable option.
Knicks are Among Durant’s Favored Locations
According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, New York is on Durant’s short list of desirable destinations, should he be traded in the summer.
“One thing to keep in mind, back at the NBA Trade Deadline in February, Minnesota, Miami, New York, San Antonio, and Houston were among the teams, I’m told, there was mutual interest between Durant and those teams,” Charania said. “I expect those teams and potentially others to be back in the fray this summer.”
While it’s highly unlikely the Knicks will move for Durant, a lot will rest on how the team performs during the playoffs. If New York suffers an early exit, then adding a proven superstar could become incredibly enticing. Either way, Knicks fans may rue not being given the opportunity to bid for Doncic earlier this year.
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