Arguably one of the biggest trades in the NBA recently has just happened, and no it was not the Davis trade which was talked about, but rather the Kristaps Porzingis decision to move from Knicks to Dallas. The trade really just came out of the blue, but nonetheless, it’s a trade that has stirred up a lot of drama and will surely be talked about a lot in the upcoming days. And while it’s a big trade for both teams, they will both benefit in a way and just might feel the consequences as well. Today we will check why the Porzingis trade just might prove to be a risk for both sides while staying as unbiased as possible.
At the first glance, this seems like a terrible trade for New York Knicks, and it’s viewed as such by many, mostly the NY Knicks fans who are in general upset by the trade. And I do understand them, being that the Knicks who are currently in a rebuilding process all of a sudden go on and trade their superstar. On the other side, Porzingis was not happy with the Knicks, so he wanted to go out. If you look at it this way, this trade was the best thing that could have happened for the Knicks. Porzingis was not playing, was not enjoying his time in NY and wanted to go out. And not only that, Kristaps Porzingis could eventually harm the Knicks franchise, by telling other players willing to join them not to, as he was clearly unhappy in New York.
So let’s check what the deal included, so what Knicks got and what did they “lose” with this trade.
In return for Tim Hardaway Jr, Trey Burke, Courtney Lee and Kristaps Porzingis, Knicks got DeAndre Jordan, Wesley Matthews, Dennis Smith Jr. and 2 future 1st round picks.
If we look at it from another angle; Knicks freed up the cap to sign 2 superstars from free agency and the last time I checked Kevin Durant, Kawhi Leonard and Kyrie Irving will be available for Knicks to sign.
While some might believe the Knicks did not get enough for Porzingis, I do believe this is the best deal they could have gotten. In addition to freeing up a lot of cap space ($75 million), which could mean they get to sign 2 superstars from free agency, they also finally got a good point guard. Not only that but they also got 2 first round picks, which is just what they need to rebuild the franchise.
On the other side, Dallas Mavericks have a very bright future ahead of them with Porzingis joining Doncic. Dallas has not got out of the 1st round of the playoffs since they have won the championship in 2011, but with the new additions to their squad, I am comfortable saying they are moving in the right direction, as the European duo (Porzingis – Doncic) could lead the Mavericks to top spots in the league next season. Still, Dallas is still far from the championship, but as mentioned they are moving in the right direction and I am eagerly waiting to see how they play next season.
So, one last question we must answer. Who “won” the trade, which team came out of the trade with better “goods”?
First of all, they both took a huge risk. NY Knicks are hoping to sign 2 superstars, now that they freed-up the cap, but this is just something they hope. As much as I respect the Knicks, they are not really the team every player is lining up waiting to join. So, we must ask ourselves who is willing to join them? Dallas Mavericks on the other side, have not seen Porzingis play and they can only hope he will be able to play at the start of the next season. And even then, the question remains; will he be as good as he was prior to the injury?
In conclusion, this trade can benefit both teams greatly, and it just might harm them just as much. If the Knicks fail to sign a superstar around whom they can build the franchise and if Porzingis fails to recover fully from the injury this trade can end badly. Nonetheless, this is just speculations, and in fact the worst possible scenario. While it’s possible, the chances are slim, so all in all, this was a trade which was a shock, but a well-executed one for both sides.
Leave a Reply