The Knicks have been a desperation story in the NBA for nearly a decade. The last real success they had was when swingman Carmelo Anthony teamed up with Amare Stoudemire in New York. In the 2012 playoffs, the Knicks had a real shot of possibly reaching the NBA Finals but were not able to overcome the Miami Heat super team led by Dwyane Wade, LeBron James, and Chris Bosh. While that is nothing to scoff at, that was the last time the Knicks were relevant.
Over the past few seasons, Knicks fans have hoped and patiently waited for superstars such as Kawhi Leonard, Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and Donovan Mitchell to become the franchise star but not a single one has been willing to join the New York franchise. That is why the Knicks have not exactly set the league alight over the past few seasons, although they have done well by developing and building around All-Star Julius Randle, who is currently the team’s best player, and Jalen Brunson.
The Knicks have been quite solid in the East this year with the 5th seed and a 46-33 record. While the team has been solid on both ends of the court, they have not worried the elite teams in the conference, including the Milwaukee Bucks, Boston Celtics, Philadelphia 76ers, and Cleveland Cavaliers. In terms of talent and star power, the Knicks are right behind these teams and need a little bit more.
The answer could be Luka Doncic, a superstar player for the Dallas Mavericks that is being linked to New York. The superstar guard and forward is posting 32.8 PPG, 8.7 RPG, and 8.1 APG on 49.8% FG, 34.7% 3-PT FG, and 74.2% FT. Doncic has had another solid season for the Mavericks, but the team has struggled mightily with a 37-42 record as they are outside of the play-in tournament. The Mavericks made a massive move to acquire Kyrie Irving before the trade deadline, but that has not worked out since the team has consistently fallen in the standings.
No doubt, Doncic is fed up with the situation in Dallas, and the future isn’t looking too bright with Kyrie a free agent and first-round picks used to bring the guard (and Christian Wood) on board. With the season winding down and the Mavericks struggling, they could be looking to shut down both Luka and Kyrie, which could be news to Knicks fans’ ears. This is the perfect time for the Knicks to jump in and acquire the superstar Slovenian and create one of the best Big Threes in the NBA.
Knicks Win The East With A Talented Big Three
The New York Knicks need a superstar to compete with other elite teams such as the Bucks, Celtics, 76ers, and Cavaliers. The Knicks have an All-Star in Julius Randle and a fringe one in Jalen Brunson, but adding Luka Doncic would take them over the top. The starting lineup would look something close to Brunson, Doncic, Josh Hart, Obi Toppin, and Julius Randle. The reason? The trade package to bring in Luka Doncic would require three key players and three first-round picks:
Trade Package: Luka Doncic for RJ Barrett, Immanuel Quickley, Mitchell Robinson, 2025 First-Round Pick, 2026 First-Round Pick, 2028 First-Round Pick
Obviously, this is a deal that will be the minimum for Dallas to accept. The best young players in New York are Barrett and Quickley since Randle and Brunson will be untouchable in New York and not exactly rebuild material. These two players have been solid all season but are better suited as second and third options, meaning the keys will be handed to the Slovenian. With Luka taking charge of the offense, his teammates will play spectacularly well alongside him.
Of course, Doncic gets a chance to reunite with the player who helped him reach the Western Conference Finals last year. Brunson was a perfect sidekick to Luka because he is an elite slasher, jump shooter, and floor general. The 6’1” guard is posting 24.0 PPG, 3.5 RPG, and 6.2 APG on 49.1% FG, 41.6% 3-PT FG, and 82.9% FT. Those are spectacular numbers for a player who could have been retained in Dallas if the franchise paid him what New York paid (4-year, $104 million). A player posting 24 and 6 is worth that amount of money, but regardless, he will be back to his best alongside Luka.
At the same time, Doncic gets a chance to play with an All-Star forward in Randle, who is having a strong season posting 25.1 PPG, 10.0 RPG, and 4.1 APG on 45.9% FG, 34.3% 3-PT FG, and 75.7% FT. The forward is an elite passer, rebounder, and athlete who can do multiple things on the floor well at his position. Finally, the Knicks will have a chance to be a force in the Eastern Conference.
Dallas Rebuilds And Goes After Young Prospects
The Mavericks have a 3% chance of winning the Victor Wembanyama sweepstakes, which clearly isn’t enough to actually start losing every one of their remaining games. The Mavericks have been a mess since acquiring Kyrie Irving, and losing their superstar Luka Doncic is not ideal but could be unavoidable. The Knicks’ package gives them two young players in Barrett and Quickley, who could immediately start for the Mavericks in the rebuild. At the same time, the Knicks can offer three of their slew of first-round picks, which is always essential for a rebuild.
The likelihood of bringing in a player in the draft as good as Luka is not high, but the Mavericks might be forced into a situation to engage in a blockbuster deal. Dallas can also let go of Kyrie, a superstar offensive player who could be willing to agree to a sign-and-trade deal. With the two stars gone and Christian Wood the next one to go, Dallas can continue rebuilding their side while also dangling Mitchell Robinson as trade bait later on.
RJ Barrett is only 22 years and was a former No. 3 overall pick from the 2019 NBA Draft, with plenty of upside. The swingman is posting 18.0 PPG, 5.4 RPG, and 2.8 APG on 42.2% FG, 34.5% 3-PT FG, and 71.0% FT for his career. This season, Barrett is averaging 19.5 PPG, 5.1 RPG, and 2.7 APG on 43.3% FG, 31.7% 3-PT FG, and 74.3% FT. Clearly, Barrett is getting better with time and is so young, considering what he can do on the court. Dallas can rebuild around the former Duke star, and Quickley could be in the running for 6th Man of the Year this season by posting 14.3 PPG, 4.1 RPG, and 3.3 APG on 44.5% FG, 36.2% 3-PT FG, and 81.0% FT.
At 23 years old, Quickley can be inserted into the starting lineup to continue developing the guard. Meanwhile, Mitchell Robinson is 25 years old and could be a player Dallas hopes to develop or trade later down the line. The center is averaging 7.2 PPG and 9.1 RPG this season, although his injury history is a bit concerning. Most importantly, the Mavericks can lose Luka now instead of for nothing later and gain three first-round picks in return.
New York’s Big Three Is Elite, Dallas Re-Focus
This is a win-win deal by most accounts, assuming Luka Doncic does want to leave the Mavericks and look for greener pastures. The Knicks need a superstar to compete with Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks, Jayson Tatum and the Celtics, Joel Embiid and the 76ers, Donovan Mitchell and the Cavaliers. Having a superstar player is necessary to win in the modern game because these players can do things at a special level when the plays don’t work, and the playoff games get tight.
A Big Three of Doncic, Randle, and Brunson would be scary to handle on offense, as the rest of the roster can be built with defense, hustle, and rebounding. Expect the Knicks to keep a hold on Josh Hart, Obi Toppin, and Quentin Grimes while possibly adding more defense to the team. Luka and Brunson are not elite defenders and will need players around them to compete hard on that end, as they had in Dallas last year with Dorian Finney-Smith. The best way for the Knicks to be more than a first round exit in the playoffs is to acquire a superstar who can win them games.
Meanwhile, the Mavericks are not going anywhere with Kyrie Irving as a free agent and Luka Doncic unhappy. The team is devoid of real talent, defenders, and impact players outside of the duo that is not working well together. Bringing back three young players and three first-round picks makes the most sense, along with the hopes of engaging in sign-and-trades involving Kyrie Irving. It won’t be easy for Dallas to lose their star, but if it has to be done, New York could offer the most attractive trade package.
Source: fadeawayworld
