NBA Trade Rumors: The New York Knicks may have passed on a possible Erc Bledsoe for Frank Ntilikina trade; should the Knicks have made the swap?
Guess it’s safe to say the New York Knicks didn’t learn anything from the Carmelo Anthony, Phil Jackson fiasco. When a player like Eric Bledsoe is available, you go get him.
It was reported earlier this week that the Knicks had interest in Bledsoe but weren’t willing to part ways with rookie Frank Ntilikina.
To say that’s a shocker would be an understatement.
Bledsoe is a scorer and a defender, both are areas the Knicks desperately need. However, Jeff Hornacek believes that Ntilikina has a bright future ahead of him. That may be true but will he reach the level that Bledsoe is currently on?
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Bledsoe has averaged 20 points per game twice in his career, while adding six assists and shooting over 45 percent from the field. As for Ntilinka, well he’s played eight NBA minutes.
What are the New York Knicks looking for?
That’s a good question. I can understand the Carmelo Anthony deal as he was getting up there in age, but Bledsoe is only 28 years old and he’s one of the most underrated defenders and scorers. Pairing Bledsoe with Kristaps Porzingis, Enes Kanter, and Tim Hardaway Jr. would give the Knicks a solid nucleus for the next five years, or so.
What the Knicks must think about is more than their future. If James Dolan were to look around the Eastern Conference he will see steady improvement from other teams. The Boston Celtics, Washington Wizards, Toronto Raptors and Cleveland Cavaliers are the top teams in the East. And, it gets worse for the Knicks after those four. The Charlotte Hornets with Kemba Walker and Dwight Howard will make noise and you have the Milwaukee Bucks with Giannis Antetokounmpo, who could end up being the best player in the league in three years.
Then you have the teams the Knicks were always looking down on with Carmelo in-tow. The Philadelphia 76ers and Brooklyn Nets may have passed the Knicks in terms of development and wins. How can that be? Easy – the Knicks gambled and lost, except once. Kristaps Porzingis.
Can this downward spiral be stopped?
Yes, it can but it will take someone with a high basketball IQ to pull it off. The first order of business is to stop waiting for talent to grow. Ntilikina was a high draft pick but that doesn’t mean he will succeed. The season has just begun and while it may seem a distance away, the Knicks are still in the playoff chase.
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For the New York Knicks to get there, it will still take some luck and guts to turn them into winners. The Knicks had the guts to draft Frank; now they need the guts to trade him for a proven player with Bledsoe’s resume.