The New York Knicks are in the middle of a rough patch, winning only four of their last 13 games. The Knicks are still well situated in the East and the roster is too talented to bottom out completely, but it feels like a change is necessary.
Karl-Anthony Towns' fit has come under the microscope amid rumored locker room tension. While KAT is still productive, he's a liability on defense and he doesn't really mesh with Jalen Brunson's patient pick-and-roll prodding. If the Knicks want to act out of desperation — and it's up for debate whether they should — this trade carries substantial risk, but also a potential for rich rewards.
3-team trade concept sends Zion Williamson to Knicks, KAT to Clippers
To be clear: This is an exercise in mad science and almost certainly will not happen. Your fears are valid. Do not call this into the league office. But stick with me for a moment, as I explain why it's not total hogwash — and why it could actually benefit New York (and the other teams involved).
Why the Knicks consider it
Remember when Zion Williamson in Madison Square Garden felt like prophecy? There was genuine disappointment when the New Orleans Pelicans won the lottery. For years after, folks wondered aloud if Zion preferred the bright lights and glamour of life in a bigger market — a market like New York. Williamson and the Pelicans have never been closer to a breakup. All it takes is one genuinely interested team. Why shouldn't the Knicks pick up the phone?
Okay, that was a rhetorical question. We know the answer: Zion has spent his entire career battling injuries and allegations of questionable work ethic. He has appeared in 70 games in a season just once. At a certain point, expecting him to right the ship and put together a full campaign transitions from wishful thinking to outright naivety.
That said ... when he's healthy, when he's on the floor, Zion remains an incredibly impactful offensive engine. And while Brunson has proven highly adept at captaining the Knicks offense, there's reason to believe the 6-foot-2 point guard might be too flawed a primary initiator (and really, defender) to lead a championship team. The Knicks need another generator, a wing-type who can pressure the defense, ease Brunson's burden and realign New York's depth chart.
Zion would presumably start at power forward, with Mitchell Robinson taking on starting duties at the five spot. Even with the well-documented shortcomings of both Zion and Brunson as defenders, that immediately elevates New York's defensive profile. Robinson, unlike KAT, is a genuine rim protector. Zion can make some plays on the help side. OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges and Deuce McBride can do the heavy-lifting on the perimeter.
It's fair to worry about the spacing with Robinson and Williamson, two non-shooters, in the starting five. It's an equation Mike Brown would need to work hard to solve. But there are examples of two-big lineups working. Zion is unique in his ability, at 280-plus pounds, to start at the top of the key like a point guard and take full advantage of sagging defenders. He eats up space in an instant, and once he has momentum heading toward the rim, the defense is often fatally compromised. Put Robinson in the dunker spot. There's a way to figure this out.
New York also gets a strong bounce-back candidate in Bogdan Bogdanovic, a new backup five in Yves Missi — with seven years of team control, essentially — and a protected future first-round pick. Not a bad bit of business for a fading star who seems to be the source of locker room turmoil.
Why the Clippers consider it
For the Los Angeles Clippers, the appeal is much, much simpler. Kawhi Leonard has turned on the jets of late and L.A. is finally digging its way out of the Western Conference abyss. If the season ended today, the Clippers would be in the Play-In.
Still, Los Angeles needs to shake up the foundation of this team somehow. If all it takes to acquire a nightly 20-10 threat with KAT's wide breadth of skills is John Collins, Derrick Jones, a questionable Bogdanovic contract and a future first-round pick — well protected, to be sure — it's hard to dial up a reason for L.A. not to consider this.
There are cap implications, of course, and the Clippers should be awfully wary when it comes to trading away future picks. But put solid protections on that 2031 pick (it's not like the Knicks have a ton of leverage right now), and those risks are mitigated. Then it becomes about finding KAT's fit basketball-wise. A challenge, to be sure, but far from impossible.
This potentially frees up L.A. to move Ivica Zubac in a separate trade. He could net them a nice little haul. If the Clippers want to try their hand at a twin towers setup, Zubac has the rim protection skills to potentially cover for Towns on the back side (although that is still a funky setup for KAT's purposes). Mainly, though, it's a huge talent influx.
Towns can feast out of pick-and-rolls with James Harden, work two-man actions at the elbow or just post up at the 3-point line and attack off the catch. His gravity would really loosen the grip on L.A.'s stars. It could be a worthwhile final heave at the end of an era. Even if it's a bad idea ultimately, it feels like something this Clippers front office would consider.
Why the Pelicans consider it
The Pelicans are done with the Zion business, full stop. There's no path forward there. Even with Williamson producing in his time on the floor, New Orleans is bleeding losses and tumbling in the standings, all without their own first-round pick next summer.
Joe Dumars can view this as a chance to get out from under the Zion contract, add a few useful contributors on more manageable deals — Collins, Jones, Yabusele and Dadiet can all play, more or less — and just reset the vibes in the locker room.
Dadiet is a recent first-round pick with some upside. Jones is a fun mirror to Herb Jones in the second unit. Yabusele was great for long stretches in Philly last season, but looks lost in New York; he's a classic change of scenery guy. And Collins remains an extremely productive play-finisher on offense: He's burying 42.7 percent of his 3s, doing all his standard high-flying acrobatics at the rim. It's just fun to watch. He's limited as a defender and not so great as a ball-mover, but Collins can put up numbers in New Orleans. He's also a nice chunk of expiring money.
The Pelicans usher in a new era built around Derik Queen and Jeremiah Fears, while beefing up the supporting cast a bit short term — which can't hurt, given the pointlessness of tanking without a pick.