During this year’s NBA offseason, the Portland Trail Blazers dominated headlines. They were the talk of the town. Fans around the league waited for them to trade Damian Lillard.
When it finally happened, the return was surprising. Why would the Blazers want Jrue Holiday? Well, Holiday didn’t stick around for long. The Blazers would send him to the Boston Celtics for more assets.
When Malcolm Brogdon came to Portland in that deal, their plan became clear. The Blazers were comfortable trading for a veteran now if they could get assets for him later.
Surely, the Blazers know that the returns will continue to diminish. As they trade veterans for assets, the veterans that they receive in return will be less coveted.
Still, Portland should be able to get something for Brogdon. Could they send him to the New York Knicks?
NBA Trade Proposal — New York Knicks Land Malcolm Brogdon
Portland Trail Blazers Receive: G/F Evan Fournier, G/F DaQuan Jeffries, 2024 Second-Round Pick (DET via NYK), 2025 Second-Round Pick (BKN via NYK), 2027 Second-Round Pick (NYK)
New York Knicks Receive: G Malcolm Brogdon
This was a big trade. Lillard was the Blazers’ longtime franchise player. Recently, we saw another big trade in the NBA. The Philadelphia 76ers traded James Harden to the Los Angeles Clippers. Where will the next big trade come from?
It’s hard to say. All of the significant trade requests have been fulfilled. There are some popular targets around. Donovan Mitchell, Zach LaVine, and Karl-Anthony Towns could all hit the market. Joel Embiid might as well. Should the New York Knicks be looking at these players?
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Malcolm Brogdon, Portland Trail Blazers, New York Knicks Updates
Charles Barkley thinks so. Recently, he commented that the Knicks can’t afford to be patient. He says that they need to make a deal. Would acquiring Brogdon suffice?
Why The New York Knicks Do The Deal
Obviously, Brogdon isn’t on the same level as those guys. That’s why the Knicks are getting him at this price. They’re sending out an expiring contract and three second-round picks to upgrade their roster with this deal.
Some Knicks fans would prefer not to part with that expiring contract. They may be out of touch with the modern NBA market. The Knicks don’t need to be preserving cap space for free agents.
They need to be preserving salary slots for trades. That’s part of what’s happening here. Brogdon’s money isn’t so onerous that it’s not worth having on the books.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Malcolm Brogdon, Portland Trail Blazers, New York Knicks Updates
in the meantime, he’s also a productive player. The Knicks could take a step forward by adding a combo guard who spaces the floor, defends, and makes plays. If he improves their record, that’s great – but the Knicks might as well bring him in either way.
Should the Blazers part with him?
Why The Portland Trail Blazers Do The Deal
By contrast, the Blazers won’t be trading for a star any time soon. They won’t be signing one, either. The Blazers need to be thinking about the future. With that in mind, they need assets.
So, they should flip Brogdon for as much as they can get. If someone wants to send them an unprotected first for Brogdon, they should take it. That isn’t out of the realm of possibility – Brogdon is worth it in a vacuum. In practice, concerns about his durability may keep teams from giving up that type of asset for him.
So, a trio of second-rounders could be enough for Portland. Meanwhile, they should value Fournier’s expiring deal. The Blazers may want to get in on some restricted free agents next summer.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Malcolm Brogdon, Portland Trail Blazers, New York Knicks Updates
Clearing Fournier’s contract helps them do that. It won’t make them the talk of the summer, but it could still help them make a little noise.
