Why The New York Knicks Make The Deal
It’s always a challenge to write a justification for the team receiving the best player in a trade. The New York Knicks’ motivation is obvious: they’re receiving Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
The Knick may determine that they don’t need the draft. After all, they play in New York. If they were to put together, say, a 45-win season behind SGA and Randle, that could portend future success. Suddenly, disgruntled stars and free agents may see the Knicks as a viable destination.
That hasn’t been the case for a long time. The Knicks have been the butt of a league-wide joke for a long time. Mismanagement has produced far more losing seasons than not over recent years. Acquiring a star and racking up some wins may be worth its weight in draft picks for this organization.
Many will argue that trading Gilgeous-Alexander is a fool’s errand for the Thunder. When you’re a rebuilding club with a 23-year-old star on your roster, you keep that star. There’s definitely some logic in that thinking.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: 3 Early Impact Targets For New York Knicks In NBA Offseason
At the same time, Presti seems willing to endure short-term pain for long-term pain. His Thunder receive substantial draft capital with this deal. If they receive a generational prospect in the process, they may not miss Shai-Gilgeous Alexander for long.
