The Knicks did not put Kevin Knox or Frank Ntilikina or any of the first-round picks available in Derrick Rose’s Super Bowl Sunday deal, The Post reported.
Even though Knox and Ntilikina have gone out of business, Knicks is saving as many young assets as possible so they can have enough for a meaningful future business.
The Knicks – as well as several other teams – monitor the situation of shooting guards Bradley Beal and Victor Oladipo. The Knicks (11-15) look closely at both players on a Friday / Saturday back-to-back.
The Knicks face the Beal’s Wizards (6-15) in DC on Friday, then host the Oladipo and Rockets (11-13) on Saturday.
The wizard superstar always seems on the verge of being introduced to the trading block, and league executives think it’s more a matter of when, not if.
“Ultimately, I think the wizards will (change) him,” said an NBA executive. “They want to treat Beal well. I think Beal will be frustrated enough to ask for a transaction and they will accommodate him. “
A league executive is also wondering if the wizards would trade Beal for an Eastern Conference team.
The player already available – and much less expensive – is Oladipo, the new Rockets star that Houston got in the blockbuster James Harden. Sources say they are likely to trade Oladipo as it will be an unrestricted free agent this summer.
If the Knicks get their hands on Oladipo, it will show that Knicks, GM Scott Perry, still has a lot of power in the organization. Perry developed the product from Indiana University in Orlando with option no. 2 of the 2013 project.
“The Knicks definitely smelled around Victor when he was with the Pacers,” an NBA source said.
Knicks president Leon Rose is not said to be as great about Oladipo’s future, but Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau is still looking for list upgrades because of their problems, according to league sources.
The 6-4 guard has an average of 19.8 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.7 assists. He is still only 28 years old and has tendencies to go over his knee surgery with four tendons.
As he stands, Beal wants to stay in Washington, and the wizards have no desire to move him. Beal, 27, will not become a free agent until 2023. The downside to Leon Rose’s Knicks is that he is reputed by Mark Bartelstein – not the Creative Artists Agency.
If Beal is placed on the block that falls within the March 25 trading deadline, Knicks would be among the bidders.
Beal entered Wednesday’s Wizards game against the Raptors, averaging 33.3 points per game and scoring 47%. Beal also has an average of 5.1 rebounds and 4.5 assists.
RJ Barrett, election no. 3 of the 2019 draft, is part of the future Knicks, but has not yet shown enough to consolidate as a definitive All-Star future.
As much as Thibodeau likes his two-way game, scouts across the league are still worried about whether Barrett’s athleticism is considered elite – not just his 3-point shooting.
However, the Knicks prefer not to put Barrett in any Beal business and consider that they have stored enough futures contracts.
In addition to the Knox and Ntilikina lottery selections, they have the potential for two lottery picks in this year’s project, plus Detroit’s precious second-round pick. This could be the 31st general election in a draft considered strong.
In addition, the Knicks have two options in the first round in 2023 and more options in the second round in 2023.
When the Knicks made all their transactions before and after the draft in November, he was considering collecting additional draft compensation to be used in a blockbuster for a player like Beal.
If Washington expects to change Beal this summer, the Knicks will have even more room to inherit their contract. Even now, the Knicks have a $ 15 million room after the Rose-for-Dennis Smith Jr. exchange, which makes the Beal / Oladipo transaction easier to consume because of the lid math.
Now that veteran guard Rose is on board and has already shown his life at the age of 32, Thibodeau will want more.
The Knicks have made it clear they are winning now. Patience came out the window when former Knicks president Steve Mills was fired a year ago. Leon Rose was apparently hired to hire a winning coach now, Thibodeau.
Thibodeau and senior vice president William Wesley, who led Rose to John Calipari’s Memphis Tigers, designed the Rose business. Thibodeau downplayed it, saying she was introduced to a handful of names – probably Lonzo Ball and JJ Redick among them.
With Derrick Rose wanting to leave Detroit, Ball makes no sense. Redick, 36, looks like a sideways move, with Alec Burks more versatile and younger in his place.
Sources confirm that Redick would prefer a transaction for either the Nets or the Knicks, as his family still lives in the DUMBO section of Brooklyn.
“I think Leon, Wes and Scott are constantly communicating with all the teams in the league,” Thibodeau said. “Everything is part of this business. You talk about a number of possibilities, you look at it, the pros and cons, which could add, but there are a number of players that have been discussed. ”
If Rose continues to excel as she did early Tuesday, Knicks could consider moving Elfrid Payton and / or Austin Rivers to soften a logjam. Payton has increased its commercial value and attracted some interest, sources say. Rivers is out of rotation until an injury occurs in Thibodeau’s new top 10.
“Austin has been around, he’s a veteran,” Thibodeau said. – He’ll stay ready. He is situational. Usually things work out. When he is called, I know he will be ready to leave. ”
Rivers was also a teammate in 2018 of Beal, who will once again have the chance to celebrate in Knicks Friday.