Swapping Futures

Today marks the end of an era in New York, kinda. The New York Knicks have traded star PF/C, the savior of the Knicks, The Unicorn, Kristaps Porzingis, to the Dallas Mavericks. To me, it does not feel like such a massive, league-changing trade even though it has all of the credentials to be one. It feels more like two struggling teams swapping what didn’t work, because that’s exactly what it is.

This trade comes literally an hour after reports of Porzingis meeting with the Knicks front office about the teams future plans. Porzingis, who’s out with an ACL injury, was concerned with the “losing, franchise direction and an uncertainty that a culture is developing that will enable sustainable organizational success.” – Twitter, Adrian Wojnarowski.

The trade came a little over an hour later with multiple pieces being moved.

Knicks Acquire

• C DeAndre Jordan
• SG Wesley Mathews
• PG Dennis Smith Jr.
• 2021 1st round pick
• 2023 1st round pick

  Mavs Acquire

• PF Kristaps Porzingis
• SG Tim Hardaway Jr.
• SG Courtney Lee
• PG Trey Burke

The Mavericks won this trade by a mile. They traded two guys on expiring contracts for an All-Star who won’t get in the way of budding star Luka Dončić, a good shooter in Tim Hardaway Jr, a crafty point guard with Trey Burke and Courtney Lee, who will most likely be bought out, or used as a bench piece.

The Knicks basically traded the future of the franchise for Dennis Smith Jr. who could be a very dangerous athletic point guard if he can stay healthy. DeAndre Jordan will most likely walk in the summer unless they can guarantee him starting minutes and the team shows signs of improvement. Wesley Mathews who is also on the last year of his contract will actually probably stay. The Knicks can afford to pay him and it could be a bridge deal that would be beneficial for both parties. Mathews would stay employed and the Knicks would have a serviceable SG for a couple of years while they develop prospects.

The Mavericks will continue to sit Porzingis as he rehabs his ACL injury, and they will most likely continue to post a losing, or .500 record that will grant them a decent pick in this years draft. By next season, they will have an even better version of Luka Dončić, another prospect for the future, a healthy Kristaps Porzingis and likely a good free agent signing. All signs point up for the Mavericks, while the Knicks continue to be a disappointment with no real direction.