Why This Trade Makes Sense For The New York Knicks

While Julius Randle is playing the best basketball of his career, the New York Knicks have to make a choice sooner than later about his future with this organization. He is under contract this season and then for the 2021-22 season, his contract is partially-guaranteed for $4M, making him a prime trade target for many teams around the NBA.

His value is not going to get any higher than it is now and if the Knicks do not see a future with Randle being involved long-term, they need to trade him now to get the most out of him. Getting a veteran player like Brook Lopez, along with a young, unpolished player in D.J. Wilson and a 2021 first-round could be extremely beneficial, especially since this team’s main goal is to build a team through the draft.

Acquiring Brook Lopez could go a long way for this organization as he still has three years left on his contract and is an overall solid big man. While he may not be the scorer he once was, he is a very strong shot-blocker and can help the Knicks with rebounding, something they have struggled with over the years. 

The Knicks need to continue building a legit core to utilize moving forward and while R.J. Barrett and Julius Randle are their best players right now, trading Randle gives them the assets they need to continue building their core through the draft. Obi Toppin has the potential to be a very strong player for years to come and with Mitchell Robinson also playing well, the Knicks could very well be an attractive destination for some superstar players looking to lead a young group.

Acquiring yet another first-round pick gives them six draft picks in the 2021 NBA Draft, including four first-round picks. Just trading away two of those picks could be enough to land an All-Star level talent and if they opt to keep all four, they could draft four fantastic young prospects. 

This trade gives the Knicks plenty of possibilities on how to build their core of the future, which is exactly why it could make sense for them in the long run. Having the draft assets and young talent to make a trade for a superstar-type player is what the Knicks need and this trade gives them these assets to do so.