NBA Trade Deadline 2019: 5 only mildly depressing trades for Jabari Parker

1. New York Knicks

It’s not too often that you’ll see the Knicks ranked number one on a list that has “only mildly depressing” in the title, but here we are.

One reason this potential trade is number one on the list is that it’s pretty plausible, and would benefit all parties involved. There have been some preliminary talks between the two teams, and though nothing’s set in stone it wouldn’t be surprising to see a deal worked out by the time the deadline arrives.

In many ways, the situation that Parker would find himself in with the Knicks would be pretty similar to the one discussed on the last slide. He’d be joining a losing team that most definitely wouldn’t extend him next season, but he’d have a good chance to prove himself and secure a good deal with another team in the future.

Parker likely wouldn’t be the defacto primary scoring option for the Knicks like he would be with Memphis, but he’d still be able to get decent minutes with good looks, and these chances would come on a much bigger stage.

Knicks fans are unforgiving, and playing in the Garden on a regular basis has been something that’s crushed other players in the past. If Jabari can play there and show decent returns it will be impressive, and more teams will see him as a viable option going into the 2019-20 season.

By making this move the Knicks, who are trying to get contracts off the books so they can pursue big free agents this summer, would be able to unload one of their more expensive players who have years remaining, likely Tim Hardaway Jr. or Courtney Lee.

The Bulls are not trying to contend next year (maybe not even in the next two years), so they can afford to take on some longer contracts that can be flipped further in the future; Hardaway Jr. would be a particularly attractive get for them because he’s still relatively young and can likely be moved in the next two years for picks or young players around the deadline.