How This Trade Impacts New York Knicks

A trade for Kevin Durant is something some New York Knicks fans may not want. The Knicks were spurned by Durant when he was a free agent and he hasn’t stopped disparaging them since. But, they would likely get over that fast once they saw him donning the blue and orange at Madison Square Garden.

This kind of move for a star player is what Knicks fans have been waiting years for. The franchise was never able to find that running mate for Carmelo Anthony, as Amar’e Stoudemire’s knees gave out before the team could make a major postseason push.

Inserting Durant into the middle of the lineup would vault the Knicks up the Eastern Conference standings. Just how far up they go would likely be determined by Jalen Brunson, their new starting point guard, and RJ Barrett.

Keeping Barrett is key to the Knicks building a sustainable, long-term winner. He is on the cusp of All-Star production and playing off of Brunson and Durant could lead to his efficiency reaching that level. Only 22 years old, he is scratching the surface of his potential.

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Having Durant in the mix would also make the Knicks an attractive landing spot for players. Durant notoriously said it isn’t cool playing for the franchise, but with him on the roster, that would certainly change.

Not to be forgotten, Seth Curry is also a very good pickup. He can slide right into the role vacated by Evan Fournier as a 3-point sniper, but he offers some playmaking ability as well. Quentin Grimes would likely slide into the starting lineup, giving New York a more balanced, two-way lineup alongside Brunson, Barrett, Durant and Mitchell Robinson.

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Derrick Rose, Obi Toppin, Isaiah Hartenstein and Curry would be a formidable second unit for Tom Thibodeau to deploy off the bench with Deuce McBride and Jericho Sims providing depth on the roster.