The New York Knicks, naturally, have been thrown into the mix for the Anthony Davis sweepstakes. The Dallas Mavericks’ star big man has been sidelined most of this season due to injury, and with the state of the Mavericks team right now, odds are likely that Davis will be playing for a different team at some point this season.
Knicks not likely to make a trade for Anthony Davis
New York has been linked to Davis given their current situation. They have a robust team worthy of making a championship push, but they have some defensive flaws that make Davis a potentially enticing addition.
Furthermore, Karl-Anthony Towns has not gotten off to the kind of start he and many fans were hoping he’d have. That slow start has sparked conversations about whether or not Davis would be a good fit for this team.
SNY’s Ian Begley reported that it is unlikely that the Knicks will end up making a blockbuster trade for Davis.
“I don’t see it happening given the construction of the team and I’m not sure even with the finances, if the Knicks have what it takes to match salary there, in terms of where they are in the apron situation,” Begley said.
Knicks are not in a position to make a move for Davis
New York is currently sitting right at the second apron, meaning that they won’t be able to add pieces to the roster without relieving some salary. Davis currently makes over $58 million annually, meaning that a trade would likely send Towns the other way, given that he is making over $60 million.
Finances aside, a trade for Davis may not be in the cards for the Knicks, and for good reason. While the big man is one of the most talented defensive players the league has ever seen, health has been a major concern for him.
He has only played 14 games since being traded to Dallas back in February, so the risk of trading for him might be too great given the uncertainty around his availability. New York is better off either keeping the roster the way it is or making a smaller move to add depth in the wings.
They should hold on to their most valuable assets for a potential deal to land Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo, whom the Knicks nearly acquired over the summer. As for Davis, it seems that he won’t end up in the Big Apple and join the Knicks for their title run.