Knicks · Kick It Like It's 2023-2024... (page 1)

As much as Towns has played some of the best defense I've seen him play recently, I am still not a fan. Beyond that, I really miss the members from our 2023-2024 that are no longer with us (Isiah Hartenstein, Donte DiVincenzo and even Julius Randle to some extent). I think those guys deserved at least one more chance together and I hope they do eventually get it. The Wolves won't let Julius go but what if we can get back i-Hart, DDV and some assets by trading KAT?

I think this 5 teamer might have some legs...

Knicks Get: Isiah Hartenstein, Donte DiVincenzo, Kevon Looney and Saddiq Bey

Bucks Get: KAT and Jordan Clarkson

Thunder Get: Miles Turner, Gary Harris and Jordan Hawkins

Wolves Get: Gerschoun Yabusele, Jose Alvarado and Landry Shamet

Pelicans Get: Kyle Kuzma, a 2026 WAS 1st Round Pick [via NYK] and cash [via NYK]

Bucks do it because it represents a talent upgrade. KAT and Clarkson offer the scoring punch they lack alongside Giannis and especially when he is out.

Thunder do it for cost control purposes. They are about to get incredibly expensive beyond the 3 max contracts they already have. Turner's deal, however, is flat for the next 3 years and helps to avoid a difficult conversation with regards to extending i-Hart's contract. Turner helps them maintain their defensive identity, while giving them the ability to play 5-out. Plus, i-Hart's spat with injuries this season should be concerning for them and I it wouldn't surprise me if they are in thebmarket for a replacement. The only issue is that losing i-Hart would represent a MASSIVE hit to their rebounding ability, which is already poor.

Wolves do it to get depth, particularly with Jose who offers them a better facilitating option at PG than DDV. I also think Gerschoun might work well with them because of the existing French-connection on the team, as well as the fact that he's a reasonable facsimile to Julius Randle. He'll likely find himself in the same sets that play to his strong suit.

Pelicans do it because they have nothing to play for. Bey will likely walk after next season, so they might as well cash in the asset for a future one with control. Kuzma sucks but is still a capable stopgap in a middling team's rotation. And his contract could be used in trades as filler; giving him some utility to that particular team.

Knicks do it to get back to their roots and create more roster depth. Breaking up KAT's contract also helps financially by creating flexibility below the 2nd apron. Looney is decent insurance off the bench in the event i-Hart and/or Mitchell Robinson are injured. Best of all, we can exercise his team option at the end of the season to use to re-sign Mitchell Robinson without affecting the apron. I also view i-Hart as a poor man's Domatas Sabonis on offense, with significantly better upside on defense. It might take time but I think he can run many of the same sets that Brown ran in SAC with Fox and Sabonis.

Shamet is better than any of those players coming in, except iHart.

KAT going to the Bucks is a mind bender twist I'm up for thinking about. This is like the best movie script ever haha

ramtour420 wrote:Shamet is better than any of those players coming in, except iHart.

You mean except for iHart, DVD and Bey. And I like Shamet.

Can't see Thunder swapping IHart's expiring for Turner's albatross.

They have the rights to the Clipper's pick which will probably be a lottery pick where they can draft IHart's replacement or trade that pick for IHart's replacement for a better value than Turner.

ramtour420 wrote:Shamet is better than any of those players coming in, except iHart.

That is obviously false

newyorknewyork wrote:Can't see Thunder swapping IHart's expiring for Turner's albatross.

They have the rights to the Clipper's pick which will probably be a lottery pick where they can draft IHart's replacement or trade that pick for IHart's replacement for a better value than Turner.

Isn't it a wing-heavy draft at the beginning? I suppose they always could trade down but I think it's a leap to assume a rookie could come in and replace a seasoned veteran like iHart. The entire reason they acquired iHart is to have a 2-way threat to make a Nikola Jokic work. I doubt a rookie would be up to that tall a task.

I also disagree with the notion that Turner's contract is bad. The guy was a key cog in the Pacers title run. He's a bit long in the tooth now but in a league where mid-level money is $15 million per, I think him at $25-29 million per is decent value, especially in a league with the cap increasing 5%-8% annually.

martin wrote:KAT going to the Bucks is a mind bender twist I'm up for thinking about. This is like the best movie script ever haha

It's definitely a bit of a mindf*ck. But I never thought the Giannis trade rumors had any volition and suspect he's a Bucks lifer. Even if he wasn't, I'd hate how expensive a trade for him would be. I also think getting him would conflict with Brunson's game like it did with Dame. And as irrational as it may be, I want to win with Brunson as my top gun more than acquiring someone to supplant his touches.

So if Giannis stays, KAT makes sense. It would give us the flexibility to build a team under the 2nd apron and keep Mitchell Robinson; both of which I view as top priority. And like I mentioned before, I've become a big sentimentality in my old age lol. Win, lose or draw: I want our guys back.

NardDogNation wrote:

martin wrote:KAT going to the Bucks is a mind bender twist I'm up for thinking about. This is like the best movie script ever haha

It's definitely a bit of a mindf*ck. But I never thought the Giannis trade rumors had any volition and suspect he's a Bucks lifer. Even if he wasn't, I'd hate how expensive a trade for him would be. I also think getting him would conflict with Brunson's game like it did with Dame. And as irrational as it may be, I want to win with Brunson as my top gun more than acquiring someone to supplant his touches.

So if Giannis stays, KAT makes sense. It would give us the flexibility to build a team under the 2nd apron and keep Mitchell Robinson; both of which I view as top priority. And like I mentioned before, I've become a big sentimentality in my old age lol. Win, lose or draw: I want our guys back.

I do like that pairing for Bucks, without really knowing rest of roster.

NardDogNation wrote:

ramtour420 wrote:Shamet is better than any of those players coming in, except iHart.

That is obviously false

I am biased towards Shamet. He is a better shooter than DVD and plays much much better defense

ramtour420 wrote:

NardDogNation wrote:

ramtour420 wrote:Shamet is better than any of those players coming in, except iHart.

That is obviously false

I am biased towards Shamet. He is a better shooter than DVD and plays much much better defense

DDV literally has the best +/- in the league so far in 2026. He's both a better defender and rebounder than Shamet.

NardDogNation wrote:

ramtour420 wrote:

NardDogNation wrote:

ramtour420 wrote:Shamet is better than any of those players coming in, except iHart.

That is obviously false

I am biased towards Shamet. He is a better shooter than DVD and plays much much better defense

DDV literally has the best +/- in the league so far in 2026. He's both a better defender and rebounder than Shamet.

+/- isn't a great individual stat because it shows team performance while someone is on the court. But I see your point. Can you please post 3 point shooting %? And maybe some defensive stat? Maybe Donte leveled up on D in Minnesota. From what I remember of him here we was a willing defender but constantly got beat off the drible