In a nutshell this trade is a win, win, win for all 3 parties in different ways. The Knicks get the player they believe the lottery robbed them of, The Raptors get to shed OG for 2 solid role players and good pick value, and the Pels bolster their roster with more defense and a solid PF to pair alongside CJ and BI without feeling like they dont have a clear Leader of the team.
Why New York does the trade
Rhe Knicks have a very solid core right now. Julius honestly is a phenomenal talent for them but is no Zion when Zion decides to turn up the heat (not in the kitchen). Zion has always wanted to play in the garden, and the Knicks beat themselves up when the lotto ball gave the pick to NOLA in 2019. Pairing Zion with his former teammate at Duke, RJ Barrett, and the blossoming Jalen Brunson could prove DEVASTATING for the Eastern conference so long as NYC is ready to commit to making sure Zion is fully ready to play.
Why Toronto Does the deal
It's no secret Toronto is ready to start moving pieces, and OG has been linked to trade rumors for 2 years now (one of the most popular was with NOLA last year). The Raptors however have made it clear they will not settle for anything less than solid role players and good pick return for any of their trade assets. This is where NOLA steps in. The Pels would ship the picks NYC would send in the Zion deal to Toronto alongside Kira and Larry who have been getting little to no minutes due to the current roster no longer allotting for them however solid they are. This, with a 2018 pick from NOLA would give them a whole 3 1st for OG which would grant them a great start their retooling around Scottie.
Why NOLA does the deal
New Orleans and Zion are like your best friends toxic relationship. You want to see it work out, but there is always drama, light making up, then getting into another fight and threatening breaking up. It's time we helped our friends find someone else. NOLA is on the cusp of solidly being one of the top teams in the west if they can just find a good rotation of players around BI and CJ. Randall may be just that. Although not the force Zion is by any means, JR is a great PF with excellent driving capabilities and a very smart offensive mind. Averaging 10 rebounds a game i also a game changer for the Pels who only have Jonas to rely on for boards. This, alongside the acquisition of OG from Toronto for defense makes if not better, much more consistent which is a definite step in the right direction. With BI's contract soon expiring, and extension talks already ongoing, it may prove beneficial to make a move like this for NOLA to retain their more consistent star.