This is the trade hypothesized by Bleacher Report. Houston Rockets acquire RJ Barrett, Frank Ntilikina, the No. 8 in the 2020 draft and choice no. 27 in the 2020 draft for Russell Westbrook.
Challenging the possible teardown angle from the last section, this trade sees the Rockets take what they can get to steer clear of luxury tax and extract value from Russell Westbrook’s contract before the rest of the league realizes that bad asset.
The two first-round selections from New York may seem underwhelming, but the Rockets are totally devoid of draft picks. Beggars cannot be selectors. Plus, Barrett is the real prize here. Whether working alongside James Harden as a secondary director or taking on a bigger role in the event that Houston also moves the former MVP, Barrett is still young enough to pay for a real improvement. This is choice no. 3 in the 2019 draft we are talking about. He had a rookie year with the Knicks, but who doesn’t fight in New York?
Ntilikina lacks Barrett’s roof but can defend and is only 22 years old.
The Knicks side is simpler. Regardless of who has been in charge for the past decade and beyond, New York has been chasing stars, typically of the past or overrated variety.
Westbrook is a huge name and his counting stats jump off the page, although his poor three-point shooting and dwindling athleticism portend a steep drop (already in progress). The Knicks are among the few teams with a cap this offseason, but everyone always assumes that status means they are coming free agents.
Why shouldn’t New York instead use his room to accept more salary than he is sending? Would the Knicks rather have four years of a moderately overpaid and not-so-exciting Fred VanVleet as the league’s 15th best point guard … or a wildly overpaid Westbrook who lights up the city and makes the team relevant again?
The Knicks are always trying to impress. It would be a diving cannonball.