Even as the New York Knicks slip further below .500 with a tough schedule looming, the franchise could reportedly be looking to make a splash at the NBA trade deadline. The Portland Trail Blazers are shopping CJ McCollum and the Knicks are reportedly near the front of the line for him.
After winning 41 games last season and snapping a six-year playoff drought, New York is crashing back to earth. Months after signing Julius Randle to an extension, the 2021 All-Star forward is regressing. Meanwhile, free-agent signing Kemba Walker is showing his age and 33-year-old Derrick Rose is losing a battle to Father Time.
With less than 72 hours remaining until the trade deadline, Knicks’ president of basketball operations Leon Rose is looking to shake things up. Based on reporting from two NBA insiders, it seems possible New York could swing a blockbuster trade by Thursday.
Related: New York Knicks’ Julius Randle reportedly lost massive trade value
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported Monday that the Knicks are one of the NBA teams making an aggressive run at McCollum. The organization values both his offense and maturity, something that it is confident would make a significant impact on the team moving forward.
Furthermore, per Marc Berman of the New York Post, the Knicks have talked to Portland about a trade that would send McCollum to the Knicks. There is also a belief that landing McCollum would make the Knicks a more appealing landing spot to Damian Lillard.
- CJ McCollum contract: $30.86 million (2021-’22), $33.33 million (2022-’23), $35.8 million (2023-’23)
McCollum, playing in his age-30 season, would certainly provide New York with more stability on offense. He’s averaging 20.5 points and 4.5 assists per game this season.
In terms of the potential return, that gets more complicated for New York. While Randle isn’t a negative trade asset right now, his value is substantially lower. Portland also wants to create cap space and absorbing Randle’s contract likely isn’t atop their wishlist.
If a deal is going to happen, New York will certainly need to attach more compensation. Competing against the New Orleans Pelicans in a bidding war for McCollum, the Knicks will have to hope they can offer more than a team with a general manager who is making moves to preserve his job.
Related: 3 ideal Alec Burks trade scenarios from New York Knicks