Welcome to Takes Time, a new recurring article type on The Strickland where a couple of Stricklandites will parse breaking news and rumors as they happen and offer some instant reaction hot takes in a Slack conversation style. In today’s edition, Drew Steele (Doug) and Shwinnypooh take on the rumor from Marc Berman of the New York Post that the Knicks are interested in James Wiseman at No. 8 in the draft, but also open to the idea of trading down.

Doug  8:54 PM
So I just read this Berman article. James Wiseman is on the Knicks radar!?!? Yeah, I know the main takeaway is suppose to be a trade back, but Wiseman? That’s gotta be his agent.

ShwinnyPooh  8:57 PM
I will cut off my manhood if the Knicks take Wiseman. Literally (JK).It's not happening. That wasn't my main takeaway from the article anyway, even though it was the headline-grabbing piece.This and their willingness to trade down are of note. Thoughts?

Doug  8:59 PM
When I saw that, I’m like “who can the Knicks get in addition?” and also, “If the Magic decide to swap Augustin with Smith and the Knicks get Augustin?!?”

Shwinnypooh  9:16 PM
That can't happen since Augustin will be a free agent, but that this type of thing is even on their radar is refreshing. Even more refreshing is that I legitimately don't have any idea what the Knicks are going to do in this draft! In past years it's been pretty telegraphed with Frank Ntilikina, Kevin Knox, and RJ Barrett as their lottery picks. I have no idea this time around! Seems like quite a change in how things are working with the Knicks' braintrust, and that is a good thing, I think.

Doug  9:24 PM
When I said “swap,” I didn’t mean via trade. Not a literal swap, LOL.

But anyway, I think most of the lack of telegraphing has to do with having no clue what the draft order is gonna be. Anyone can go anywhere, really, and there will be trades.

I’d love to see if the Knicks could try to get some Magic draft compensation in 2021 or 2024 with a deal like this. Question: Would you rather have 15 or eight?

Shwinnypooh  9:27 PM
In a vacuum? Eight, but what's the catch?

Doug  9:31 PM
No catch, LOL. I’m just wondering out loud if someone good is still gonna be at 15. Because if future draft picks are coming from the Magic, I think we will be looking at a deal like that being a heist 10 years from now

Shwinnypooh  9:48 PM
Yes. Give me Tyrese Maxey, Patrick Williams, or Kira Maxey and I'm a happy guy!

Doug  9:53 PM
I don’t think that’s Kira’s name? In any event, those rumors about the Knicks wanting to keep Smith do make more sense now. There have been connections to Orlando with Smith for a while IIRC.

Shwinnypooh  9:55 PM
Orlando is weird. I'm not entirely sure what they're doing, but they seem to like taking on reclamation project guards with broken Js (Markelle Fultz, Michael Carter-Williams). They also really need to find more creation, so maybe they still think DSJ can be that guy? I don't really get it, but fuck it, I choose to believe Berman because I want this to be true!