The Strickland 2022 Mock Trade Mailbag
It’s the trade deadline! That means it’s time to break down some mock trades that the Knicks may (but most likely, may not) make by today’s deadline.
Hey! It's been a minute since I did one of these. All the way back to the old site, I think. But I figured it was about time to bring back the mock trade mailbag for a fun time analyzing and roasting reader trades.
This year is not unlike many in Knicks land, filled with speculation and name-dropping regarding the Knicks and their potential plans. And yet, depending on who you talk to, it either seems like a guarantee that the Knicks are going to make some moves, or a guarantee that they're going to stand pat and do nothing, as always (womp womp, LOLKnicks).
The facts are basically this: the Knicks are not good, and they have too many players that deserve playing time. It's certainly a weird spot to be in. For most teams, being seven games under .500 at the deadline and having a stable of young players on the roster that have shown real potential would equal shutting down some veterans (or at least drastically reducing their minutes) and letting the younger players get valuable NBA experience to build off of and try again next year. Unfortunately, the Knicks employ one Thomas Thibodeau, and as a result, short of literally removing guys like Alec Burks, Nerlens Noel, and Kemba Walker from the team, he will keep stubbornly playing them in the name of "winning." That's where this trade deadline comes in, and why to many it's being seen as a make-or-break moment for the Leon Rose regime.
So with that, let's get into these mock trades. Of course, this baby is Patreon-only, and mock trades were taken via the robust Strickland Discord (Strickcord). Sit back and enjoy.
From enemywave:
So, to preface this... the Knicks are obviously interested in Jalen Brunson. Rumors suggesting that they're trying to get off of Alec Burks and Kemba Walker, among others, says to me that they're trying to make cap space for Brunson this offseason. Brunson, exactly like Mitch, was a second round pick in 2018 who signed a four-year deal. Unlike a first-round rookie, a second-round pick becomes a restricted free agent after a third year of their first contract, but an unrestricted free agent after the fourth year.
That said, both these guys have VERY low cap holds as unrestricted free agents, which makes me feel like I'd much rather just clear the space for Brunson outright (even if it costs a fistful of second round picks to do so... that is what you stockpile those for, after all! Not gonna make eight selections in the 2023 draft!) and sign BOTH guys this offseason. It would also pain me a bit to give the Mavs yet another former Knick, and would sting a little extra finally getting to see the Kristaps Porzingis/Mitch duo of my 2018 dreams take the court, except for the Mavericks instead of the Knicks.
However, I will say this: if the Knicks aren't committed to giving Robinson the amount of money he'll probably command (around $12-15 million annually would be my guess, if not a smidge more given his recent play), and the Mavs would be into this trade knowing that Brunson's family ties are leading him to New York anyway, then I'd make the deal. But in my heart of hearts I'm hoping the Knicks are committed to Mitch at this point, because he really seems to be putting it together.
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