Report: Knicks Thought Anthony Davis Trade Would 'Undercut' Long-Term Plan

Anthony Davis is one of the best players in the league and only 26 years old, but New York Knicks president Steve Mills and general manager Scott Perry reportedly didn't see how he could fit into their long-term plans even though he was interested in playing in the Big Apple.  

"Unlike other major stars recently, Davis had expressed interest in playing for the Knicks," Brian Windhorst of ESPN wrote. "But Mills and Perry told people they were turned off by the Pelicans' high asking price of multiple first-round picks plus multiple young players, even though the Knicks had that type of package thanks to their Porzingis trade. They said it would have undercut their long-range plan of building through the draft and developing picks into stars."

On the surface, this seems like yet another Knicks gaffe for a franchise that continues to toil near the bottom of the league's standings.

After all, Davis is a young star capable of carrying an entire frontcourt nearly single-handedly. He is a six-time All-Star, three-time All-NBA selection, three-time All-Defensive selection and three-time block champion who would be the biggest draw in a Knicks uniform since Carmelo Anthony was in his prime.

Just having him on the roster would give New York a chance to compete on a nightly basis.

However, the circumstances surrounding Davis' eventual trade from the New Orleans Pelicans went beyond just a rebuilding club looking to move its best player for significant assets. Davis has a player option for 2020-21, and trading away the future via head-turning draft capital or young playmakers was a risky endeavor for anyone because of the chance he would leave after one season.

The Los Angeles Lakers eventually traded for him and had something the Knicks didn't: LeBron James and the virtual guarantee a pairing of that magnitude would compete for a championship.

The Knicks may have been in even more dire straits if they traded away a number of future draft picks and struggled even with Davis, spurring him to move to another location in free agency.

Alas, the 2019-20 Knicks with Davis would still be much better than the 2-9 version that has stumbled out of the gates.