The Knicks have a legitimate chance of making the NBA Finals and should go all-in this season. They’ve already made a major move in trading for OG Anunoby, and another deal could put New York in a great position to contend for a championship.
The Portland Trail Blazers, meanwhile, are in the midst of a rebuild. They have three core players: Anfernee Simons, Scoot Henderson, and Shaedon Sharpe. The Blazers need to build around that trio, which means they’re better off using Portland’s other valuable players to acquire future assets. This contrast makes the Knicks and Blazers ideal trade partners.
A hypothetical Brogdan trade between New York and Portland was recently proposed by ESPN’s Chris Herring.
The Knicks get:
Malcolm Brogdon
The Trail Blazers get:
Evan Fournier, 2024 first-round pick and 2025 second-round pick
In this deal, the Knicks acquire a versatile two-way player who can contribute in many ways in exchange for a rarely used bench piece and future draft picks.
Malcolm Brogdon can play a supporting role in the starting rotation and could just as easily lead the team’s second unit. This in itself makes Brogdon incredibly valuable, because while a strong starting rotation is important, it is equally vital to ensure that bench players don’t ruin the game when the starters need to rest.