The New York Knicks are currently sitting in the seventh spot in the Eastern Conference to start this NBA season. They are playing better basketball than anyone could have predicted in Tom Thibodeau’s first season leading the team.
He and his staff have helped transform Julius Randle, someone fans were hoping would be traded away prior to the season, into a legitimate All-Star. His work developing RJ Barrett has also been impressive, as Barrett is turning into a solid No. 2 option for the team offensively with his defense improving remarkably.
While the Knicks are in a good spot right now, they could use some help to solidify their playoff standing. While the team has a suffocating defense, their offense could use some added punch. New York has been linked to some big named players, such as Victor Oladipo and Zach LaVine. The biggest among them, however, is All-Star Bradley Beal.
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The Washington Wizards’ star shooting guard leads the NBA with 32.9 points per game. Despite how great he has played, Washington is floundering in the standings at 11-17. Beal has been mentioned in some trade rumors, and it sounds like a Knicks’ executive is pulling some of those strings.
According to Michael Kay, a radio host at 98.7 ESPN New York, where the Knicks games are broadcast, William Wesley, better known as World Wide Wes in the basketball world, is looking to pull some strings and urging Bradley Beal to request a trade from the Wizards.
“The Knicks have World Wide Wes on their side,” Kay said. “And he’s been in the ear of some of Beal’s people and he’s kind of nudging them that this might be a time to push for a trade.”
Kay cited ‘a very good source’ when sharing the news. While the job with the Knicks is the first official title for Wesley in the NBA, he has been a prominent figure behind the scenes in making things come into existence. If true, this could change the Knicks’ outlook for years to come. Beal is a legitimate star and would give New York a good duo alongside Randle to build their roster around.
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This is the kind of thing David Fizdale promised when he was brought on as head coach. They thought his relationship with players would help bring them to Madison Square Garden. That failed, miserably. World Wide Wes now looks to be attempting the same thing, and unlike Fizdale, he has a history of doing it.
The Wizards aren’t going to do anyone any favors when it comes to acquiring Beal. It is going to take a treasure chest of assets to acquire him, something the Knicks have been building in recent years.
Hopefully, there are no rules being broken here. Getting hit with a tampering violation is the last thing these new-look Knicks need to deal with as they continue their climb out of mediocrity.
