The Knicks Did a Dumb Thing
/I was going to write about another new show that totally blew me away, but an enormous trade just recently happened in the NBA, and I am going to use my platform to talk about how blown away I am right now. Hell, I am still kind of processing this trade because I didn't think this team could get any dumber.
Never underestimate the stupidity of the New York Knicks.
By trading Kristaps Porzingis to the Mavericks, the Knicks just got infinitely dumber. I assumed that the "biggest" NBA trade I would write about would have been AD to the Lakers, but that hasn't happened yet, and the Knicks pulled this dumbass stunt this afternoon. I know all the stuff that got leaked late last night and early this morning. Porzingis met with the Knicks brass, told them he was frustrated by the direction of the team and would possibly seek a trade. Well, I guess the Knicks took that quite literally, and they full on traded him this afternoon. I waited awhile too because I didn't want to be fooled. I didn't want something to hold this trade up. I assumed we may have had another Trevor Ariza deal on our hands. But nope, it was all true. The Knicks traded away their main guy, the one that was going to help them lure free agents, the future of this team, the second best unicorn in the league, behind Giannis, for next to peanuts.
Was this real worth it for New York? Sure, the Knicks got Dennis Smith Jr, who I still like, and think could have a career still, and the Mavs also threw in DeAndre Jordan, a dinosaur in the current NBA and Wes Matthews, who has not been near the same since he ravaged his knee.
The fact is that this was colossally stupid for New York.
The Mavs got a much, much better deal in return. I know that Porzingis is himself coming off a torn ACL, and big men sometimes have a hard time coming back from that, but look at Boogie Cousins right now. I feel like that is Porzingis's future, but with a better jump shot. And he is much younger than Boogie. But the Mavs didn't just get Porzingis, they also got Tim Hardaway Jr and Courtney Lee. I wouldn't be shocked if they buy out Lee and let him loose. But Hardaway Jr was a key piece for them. He doesn't play much D, but the dude can score and stretch the floor. even before Porzingis was apparently on the table, I heard that the Mavs were pursuing Hardaway Jr. Now they have him and Porzingis. And they both get to play with Luka Doncic. I mean, the Mavs are clearly going all in. Even if Porzingis doesn't play until next year, I feel like a lineup of Doncic, Hardaway Jr, Dirk and 2 of their young big guys will be a ton of fun to watch, and tough to guard. I don't think they make the playoffs without Porzingis, but I don't think they are bad. And just think of them next year. Doncic and Porzingis running the pick and roll will be deadly. It will also totally open up the three for Hardaway Jr. They won't be at the top of the West, but they will become a perennial playoff team. They will win in the 40's and 50's of games, and be really hard to guard. They will also play stout D. Also, Porzingis will be playing for, by far, the best coach in his career. Rick Carlisle will use him perfectly.
Back to the stupidity of the Knicks. I know Porzingis was mad. I know this has been a tough year. I know they are tanking. But what the hell are you doing? They needed to keep Porzingis if they wanted any big time free agent this offseason. I know they got off a ton of money, and I wouldn't be shocked if both Matthews and Jordan are traded or cut. And Smith may thrive running this offense all on his own. But Smith will not be enough to lure guys like KD or Kyrie or AD. I thought, before about 3pm my time today, that the Knicks had the best shot to sign KD this offseason. But with Porzingis gone, I think that is shot. I am a Dennis Smith Jr fan, and this is meant as zero disrespect to him, but he doesn't move the needle for a guy like KD. Also, he is a young point guard, so why would Kyrie want to join now? Then you have AD. I know he said the Knicks aren't one of his "preferred destinations", but they could have been if they still had Porzingis and the number one pick. All of that is gone because of, it seems to me, an impulse move by the Knicks front office. They are an atrocity to pro basketball right now, and they just got much, much, much worse today.
I don't get it. I want the Knicks to be relevant again because the NBA is so much better when they matter. They took a big, big step in the wrong direction with this trade today. This totally changes a lot of what I thought would happen this offseason. I guess I thought James Dolan couldn't be this stupid. I was proven very wrong. This is a horrible decision for the Knicks, but the Mavs will be much improved. I expected a lot of movement this week and next, with blockbuster names being moved. I just didn't expect, or see this one coming at all.
Wow.
Ed Note: The Knicks are stupid.
Ty
Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet.
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