The New York Knicks made a play for New Orleans Pelicans star Anthony Davis before the trade deadline on Thursday, February 7, 2019 (2/7/19), and now will have perhaps a better chance to make a big offer when the offseason rolls around.
Give the Knicks credit for trying.
As the hysteria of the Anthony Davis trade sweepstakes hovered over the NBA, it was assumed that a one-team dance had been established: Los Angeles Lakers or bust.
To an extent, that’s what happened. And the bust occurred, with Davis remaining on New Orleans’ roster now through the end of the 2018-19 season. But that doesn’t mean other teams (other than the Celtics, which couldn’t pair Davis with star guard Kyrie Irving on the roster this year due to CBA rules) didn’t try.
One of those teams was the Knicks.
According to Marc Stein of The New York Times, the Knicks offered a package including Kristaps Porzingis before rerouting their franchise player in a blockbuster with the Mavericks.
Although it was rejected, Stein thinks the assets now in tow could bring New York and New Orleans together on a deal this summer.
Thanks in part to the Porzingis trade, the Knicks have amassed seven first-round picks over the next five years to go with a core of promising young players headlined by Kevin Knox and the newly acquired Dennis Smith Jr. Skepticism permeates the Knicks’ fan base as the team appears headed toward its sixth successive non-playoff season, but their trade assets position the Knicks to make a legitimate run at Davis before a big free-agent summer.
If the Knicks win the lottery and the rights to Duke’s Zion Williamson, the picture could tilt again–perhaps even enough to give New York an edge over the asset-laden Boston Celtics in this summer’s Davis sweepstakes 2.0.
Davis is averaging 29.3 points and 13.3 rebounds per game this season.
Joe Giglio may be reached at jgiglio@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JoeGiglioSports. Find NJ.com on Facebook.