Trade season is officially upon us and the rumor mill is heating up. The Knicks got a great win at Phoenix last night and Brunson is showing that he's truly a star and will hopefully get his first All-Star game selection this year. But the Knicks do need another piece in order to go to the next level. The Spurs are a young team who have struggled without a good PG to lead them. The Warriors are a team who's payroll is for a contender but who have looked far off the playoffs let alone a title. This trade would benefit all 3.
Knicks: The Knicks have looked like a playoff team but are still 1-2 pieces away from contention. They've been holding onto picks to make a trade for an All-Star and they land Andrew Wiggins. He's having a terrible season but he's an elite defender which the Knicks need to stand up against teams with their own All-Stars like Tatum and Butler. He would also allow for RJ to slide down to the 2 where he matches up better on offense and defense and while he's currently struggling on offense, he's a good 3 point shooter and would help space the floor. They also get Branham from the Spurs to replace the departing Grimes and IQ. I honestly would like Sochan instead but I don't think the Spurs would give him up. As I've said before, losing IQ is rough but after he didn't get an extension this offseason, it looks likely that he's on his way out. Losing Grimes is also tough but it's the price you pay to get an All-Star and while he's been great on defense for the Knicks, they want an upgrade at the wing and have DDV and Hart in reserve.
Spurs: The Spurs need a PG to run their offense, it's that simple. The point-Sochan experiment hasn't worked out and he's a better fit as a defensive wing who is given more time to develop on offense. They lose Branham but IQ is a huge upgrade as he is a starter quality PG. He's proven that his performance last year was not a fluke, he's a good 3 point shooter, a solid defender and fits the timeline for the Spurs. Recent reports have suggested they're looking at trading Johnson so they get IQ, Moody and picks as compensation. Moody will be given the opportunity to shine on the Spurs in a way he wasn't on the Warriors. He can be a 2 way wing and has shown potential and is a better fit on a Spurs team who has time to develop him and isn't aiming to win now.
Warriors: The Warriors have some tough decisions to make. Draymond is suspended indefinitely and hasn't shown the impact or the restraint that the Warriors need from him. Klay looks a shadow of his former self and Wiggins has had a rough year as well. However this team has shown that they believe that the window hasn't closed and Curry in particular is still putting up incredible numbers and is still a special player capable of leading a team to a championship. This trade allows them to gain some trade assets as well as two impact players in Johnson and Grimes. Grimes could potentially be the successor to Klay as he's a great 3 point shooter and a great defender. Johnson is a solid wing who is a good player on offense and defense. He's not All-Star caliber but he wouldn't need to be on this team and is on a reasonable contract.
Thoughts?