Knicks Trade Rumors: Buzz on Miles Plumlee and Selling Plans at Deadline
The Amar'e Stoudemire era may be over, but the New York Knicks are far from done buying—and shipping away talent—ahead of Thursday's NBA trade deadline.
With Carmelo Anthony on the shelf for the rest of the season, it goes without saying that things are more brutal than anyone could have predicted for the 10-win Knicks.
Despite the baffling lows of the rebuild attempt, the only way to go from here is up.
Keep in mind, though, that this year's deadline in particular has always been a small pit stop on the road to greater things. At best, Thursday's spectacle will serve as a way to perhaps land a role player or shed some more dead weight in preparation for future free-agency periods.
As the finale nears, the Knicks are all over the place on the rumor mill.
Looking Right at the Suns
If the Knicks are to hit a home run at the deadline, it will be in a deal with the Phoenix Suns, who are perhaps disgruntled sellers with minimal leverage.
It always seemed that the Suns would look to move star point guard Goran Dragic before the deadline—provided they were offered the right price.
Now the team seems to have no choice, as Dragic apparently informed the team he will not re-sign with them in free agency next offseason, per ESPN's Marc Stein:
This is nothing but good news for the Knicks, as now the league can offer a reduced price knowing full and well the Suns want to get at least something in return for their 28-year-old point guard.
Suffice it to say, the Knicks do need a sure thing at point guard, and Dragic's 16.2/4.1/3.6 slash line and 16.67 player efficiency rating, per ESPN.com, is proof enough that he has exactly what New York wants at the position.
In a strange turn of events, it gets better for the Knicks—according to Yahoo Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski, Anthony and the Knicks are on the very short list of locales Dragic would sign an extension with soon:
Hear that? It's a collective sigh of relief from the Big Apple as the organization and supporters of it understand that the Knicks are still very much a premier destination for some of the league's biggest names.
Even better, Wojnarowski reveals that the Knicks do have an offer on the table for Dragic:
At the very least, Dragic's addition would allow him to run an offense with Anthony as well as other pieces obtained through either free agency, trade or the draft.
Dragic may bring some young talent with him, too, if the Knicks can somehow secure a deal with the Suns.
USA Today's Sam Amick notes that big man Miles Plumlee is also potentially up for grabs:
This makes it sound as if a package deal may be in order, provided the Knicks find a way to make it work.
Plumlee, 26, would be a smart add by the Knicks. At the very least, he is a reliable rotational contributor who averages 4.3/5.1/1.0—numbers that are way down this season as his role in Phoenix's rotation continues to shrink.
Even if Plumlee were a solo addition via trade, it would be a step in the right direction for the Knicks, a team in need of both youth and depth—especially if the next point comes to fruition.
The Big Apple Exodus
It is strange to consider the Knicks sellers with Anthony and Stoudemire out of the picture for their respective reasons, but so it goes for a franchise on the mend.
According to Steve Popper of NorthJersey.com, the front office seems to have a few names on the block:
"NBA sources said they believe the Knicks could move Jose Calderon, who still has drawn interest from other front offices despite his struggles this season. And Andrea Bargnani, who’s been a massive disappointment in his two years in New York, has been shopped and also could be bought out of his expiring contract.
"
No surprise here, really.
Jose Calderon is 33 years old and averages just 9.3/4.6/3.1 in 30.2 minutes per game. He also happens to represent a cap hit north of $7 million in each of the next two seasons, per Spotrac.
As for Andrea Bargnani, he's a non-factor but, in theory, should be a decent piece of trade bait thanks to his contract that expires after this year's $11.5 million cap hit, per Spotrac.
To date, president Phil Jackson has done an excellent job of freeing the organization from its putrid contracts and dead weight.
By all accounts, that remains the top priority in order to best prepare for future additions, as Jackson told Al Iannazzone of Newsday:
"If not, then what? If we can get more cap room, great. If not, can we add a player that's going to be a substantial addition to our team in the process so we don't have to add so many team members when we come back next fall?"
A purchase on the deadline is great, but a sell would only further establish just how dominant the Knicks will be in the next couple of offseasons on the open market—especially now that top stars clearly still want to play in the Big Apple.
All stats and info via ESPN.com unless otherwise specified.
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