NBA Trade Rumors: Knicks Foolish to Consider Trading Amar'e for Dwight Howard

According to a report from former NBA player and current CSNNE reporter Donny Marshall for NBC Sports Talk, the New York Knicks have opened talks with the Orlando Magic on a deal that would send Amar'e Stoudemire to the Magic for an opportunity to rent Dwight Howard for the rest of the season.

Hopefully the talks began and ended with that, because it's simply foolish.

First of all, it's too big of a risk.

Stoudemire was the guy to help get the turnaround started. To deal him for a guy they could potentially have for only a few months, even a guy with superstar talent like Howard, isn't worth the gamble.

For one, the Knicks weren't on the list of teams that Howard said he would sign an extension with. Unless he adds New York to his list of teams that already includes Dallas, New Jersey, Orlando and the Los Angeles Lakers, it makes little sense.

How do the Knicks replace Stoudemire after this season if Howard walks?

They would be back to square one.

Then there is the fact that the Knicks signed Tyson Chandler to a four-year, $58 million deal. They aren't going to pay him to ride the bench. Keeping both him and Howard beyond this season would put the Knicks way into the new luxury tax. That's something they don't want.

Finally there is the fact that if Mike D'Antoni is still the Knicks coach for long, there will be no emphasis on defense or post play from their bigs, which is the exact things that make Howard better than every other center in the NBA.

If there were the potential to do a sign-and-trade for Howard, then it would be worth it as long as you could ship Chandler out for a quality guard as well.

But any thoughts of dealing Stoudemire to simply rent Howard until the end of the season are simply foolish and by no means should be considered.