Unpacking the Knicks Future After the Trade Deadline

The NBA Trade Deadline has come and gone as of Feb 7 at 3:00 EST. A lot of exciting storylines came with the deadline even though the Knicks did not make a trade at the deadline.

This deadline seemed to get a lot of publicity. It carried a similar allure to the MLB Trade Deadline, one of the most exciting days of the MLB season. Most of the reasons this deadline was so exciting circulated around the Knicks either directly or indirectly. Here are a few of those storylines beginning with the Porzingis trade.

Porzingis TRADED

The Knicks were operating exactly one week before the deadline as they sent their star player, Kristaps Porzingis, to the Dallas Maverick along with Tim Hardaway Jr, Trey Burke, and Courtney Lee. In return, the Knicks received two first round draft picks, one protected and one unprotected, DeAndre Jordan, Wesley Matthews and Dennis Smith Jr.

Read more about the trade here: Post-Porzingis Roundup

Kanter cut

Enes Kanter is expected to be released by the team according to several sources.

Breaking: The Knicks are releasing Enes Kanter, league sources tell @wojespn. pic.twitter.com/HVn1HxpKA7
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) February 7, 2019

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This “Woj-Bomb” is far from an unexpected blow to Knicks fans and the rest of the NBA. Kanter and the Knicks have had a public and turbulent relationship this season as Kanter’s playing time has decreased since beginning the year in the starting lineup. The only shake-up here is that the Knicks were originally rumored to work out a buyout with Kanter. When Kanter kissed the MSG floor a few games ago, he may have been quite literally kissing it goodbye.

Matthews Buyout

After being acquired by the Knicks through the Porzingis trade, Wesley Matthews is expected to be bought out by the Knicks according to several sources such as Slamonline on Twitter.

Wes Matthews will agree to a buyout with New York and the Pacers are frontrunners to sign him, reports @ShamsCharania. pic.twitter.com/gzXxrfpFlY
— SLAM (@SLAMonline) February 7, 2019

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Durant, Irving Rumors

The Knicks have over $70 million available for free agents this summer. There are a few key free agents available such as Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant. The Knicks have the financial flexibility to land both free agents, it is just a matter of convincing the two perennial All-Stars to sign. Both Durant and Irving are having tough times with their teams.

It is a little surprising because both players are currently leading their respective teams to the playoffs and both teams are favorites to win their respective conferences
Durant has had been on shaky ground with his team since the beginning of the season when he was a scuffle with teammate Draymond Green on the sideline.Irving was expected to resign with the Boston Celtics at the beginning of the year, but after several shake ups, including a backhanded compliment to his younger teammates, his future in Boston is uncertain.

Both players have been asked about their plans for this summer and neither player was very transparent, understandably so. It is unfair to pester them with questions about the summer while it is February and they are in the middle of a playoff push.

Irving said he respected New York and Durant was much less candid as he decided to lose his cool and tell the Oakland reporters to “grow up.”

Durant’s meltdown makes some people worried he will not be able to handle the New York media. Fortunately, he is a generational talent and his skills will translate anywhere in the league, even if he is under the NYC microscope.