NBA Rumors: Knicks Could Trade Julius Randle, Kevin Knox, And Frank Ntilikina For Buddy Hield
In a recent article, Brad Dressler of Fansided’s Daily Knicks created a list of trades that the New York Knicks could make before the start of the 2020-21 NBA season. These include a deal that could send Sacramento Kings shooting guard Buddy Hield to the Big Apple. In the proposed scenario, the Knicks would receive Hield, Harrison Barnes, and two future second-round picks while the Kings would be acquiring Julius Randle, Kevin Knox, and Frank Ntilikina.
If the trade pushed through, it would help both teams improve their rosters. For the Knicks, Dressler believes that they wouldn’t mind absorbing Barnes and the $60.7 million he’s owed over the next three seasons if it means getting Hield and a couple of draft picks.
“Leon Rose has shown he’s more than willing to take on bad deals in order to gain future assets to aid in the Knicks rebuild, and Harrison Barnes would be that bad deal. He would start at the SF position for this upcoming season and could be moved to a competing team in the not too distant future for additional assets. Buddy Hield and the two future 2nd rounders would be the prize of this trade, as it gives New York the shooter that they so desperately need to help space the floor for RJ to do what RJ is meant to do, along with even more building blocks for down the road.”
Acquiring Hield would help the Knicks maximize the full on-court potential of RJ Barrett, who’s considered the centerpiece of the next title-contending team that they are trying to build. Sharing the court with an elite three-point shooter would make it easier for Barrett to penetrate the basket or kick the ball out when he’s trapped by the opposing team’s defense.
Being traded to the Knicks would also be beneficial for Hield. Though it wouldn’t put him closer to winning his first NBA championship title, he would likely receive a guaranteed spot in the starting lineup. Playing for a team that could give him more playing time and a significant role on the offensive end of the floor would speed up his development into a legitimate superstar in the league.
Meanwhile, for the Kings, the proposed agreement would be about getting rid of a disgruntled superstar that could potentially be a major distraction for the team next season. Since he was demoted to the bench last season, rumors have been circulating about Hield’s growing unhappiness with the team. Though Bogdan Bogdanovic is no longer in Sacramento, coach Luke Walton still hasn’t given an assurance that Hield would be a permanent starter next year.
To prevent any drama from further surrounding the team, it might be best for the Kings to part ways with the veteran shooting guard before the start of the season. The suggested trade would allow them to create salary cap flexibility for the summer of 2021 while acquiring a young and promising talent like Knox. Randle and Ntilikina may only be viewed as expiring contracts, but if they perform well next year, the Kings may consider giving them a new deal and make them part of their long-term future.
