Mavericks – Knicks Deal, The Future

It seems that Dallas has a lot of trust in Kristaps Porzingis and his health. The Mavericks traded almost half of the starting lineup for the big man who struggles with injuries.

Earlier today, Mavs agreed to make a deal with the New York Knicks in which they get Porzingis, Courtney Lee, Tim Hardaway Jr., and Trey Burke. Dennis Smith Jr., Wesley Matthews and DeAndre Jordan are moving in the opposite direction.

It is hard to tell who got more out of this trade, but some future moves by both sides could be anticipated after today.

When talking about the Mavs the situation is clear. They wanted Porzingis, from the moment he told the Knicks management about his intention to leave, which is why they included Smith Jr. in the deal. The Texas-based franchise has a lot of positive experiences with the European players, and they are hoping to create a deadly duo with Doncic and Porzingis.

Smith was no longer in focus, because Mavs selected Doncic as the next franchise player, which is why he got placed on the trade list.

According to several sources, Dallas would like to re-sign the Latvian power forward after this year, as he becomes a restricted free agent.

As Kristaps Porzingis officially heads to Dallas, take a look back at some of the best moments from his time in New York! 🦄 pic.twitter.com/beqFo7TRKL

— NBA TV (@NBATV) January 31, 2019

The player talked with New York’s management today, expressing his doubts about the future in the Big Apple and saying that the club doesn’t have bright perspective when it comes to the playoff runs. That was a signal for the board to make a move and find some solutions which would suit both parties.

Along with Doncic, Dallas might have a tandem which will last for at least 10 years, and what is even more important, their capabilities are not examined yet. It is a huge risk because of Unicorn’s health, but if everything comes out fine, the Mavs would be a playoff team for the next decade.

As for the Knicks, their strategy is obvious. Both DeAndre Jordan and Wesley Matthews have expiring contracts, which means that at the end of the year, Knicks’ salary cap will be big enough for at least two excellent players. If they do not re-sign with these two guys, somewhere around $79 million will be at their disposal for new contracts.

When we add that they aim to land Zion Williamson, who openly stated his desires to play at the Madison Square Garden, this move has a lot of sense. The Knicks are opening the space to make some big-time landings, along with tanking the season because of the upcoming draft, which will be full of game-changers.

They have also contacted the Pelicans proposing to include Anthony Davis in the trade, but New Orleans refused that.

The guy who will probably stay is going to be Dennis Smith Jr. He or Jamal Murray are going to be an excellent trading potential, especially if the Knicks decide to make a move on the upcoming draft.

13 PTS. Career-high 15 AST. 10 REB.

In the @dallasmavs win. @Dennis1SmithJr becomes the 2nd youngest player to record a triple-double at the current Madison Square Garden (Magic Johnson)! #MFFL pic.twitter.com/cou3PeFj0d

— NBA (@NBA) January 31, 2019

The hype around Williamson is getting bigger and bigger every day now, and any team which lands the monstrous power forward will no doubt be interesting for all other free agents. That is why the Knicks want to get their hands on the Duke’s freshmen. And to clear the payroll list.

Whatever happens, both teams won’t be the same again. They’ve entered a process of reconstruction, and radical moves like these had to be made. Especially in the Knicks’ case,

The Mavs probably realized that they can’t enter the playoffs, and started creating a core for the next few years to come.

There is seven days to go until the end of the trade deadline, and the most interesting stuff is yet ahead of us. The Porzingis trade is just a beginning of a madness in the NBA,