The New York Knicks have been a laughing stock in the NBA since Carmelo Anthony decided to request a trade. Even when Carmelo was there, nobody expected the Knicks to win anything despite the likes of Amar’e Stoudemire and Tyson Chandler backing Melo. In a nutshell, the Knicks have not been on top of the NBA for over 50 years. For a franchise as legendary as theirs, the Knicks need help immediately.
Gone are the days where the Knicks are a destination franchise, and mainly thanks to horrific ownership, top free agents do not want to join the Knicks. The only way New York can get back to relevance is by targeting NBA stars with the worst contracts in the NBA. 5 NBA stars have really bad contracts which their respective teams will love to get rid of despite their production. If the Knicks can convince one of these teams to take what they have to offer, here are the 5 stars with the worst contracts in the league that New York can trade for.
5. Tobias Harris
2019-2020 Statistics: 19.6 PPG, 6.9 RPG, 3.2 APG, 0.7 SPG, 0.6 BPG
Tobias Harris signed a massive extension with the Philadelphia 76ers this past season and has produced nowhere near the level expected considering the amount of money he is getting paid. Harris is not a bad player by any means and is actually an All-Star talent thanks to his scoring ability, but he is not what the Sixers need at this point. Philadelphia need to surround Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons with specialist shooting and moving Harris could clear cap space for that.
Harris gives the New York Knicks a legitimate perimeter scorer for the first time since Carmelo Anthony. While Harris isn’t as proficient as Melo, he provides some shooting and scoring alongside Julius Randle and R.J. Barrett which starts to look very promising on paper. While Harris won’t be an automatic playoff berth for the Knicks, he certainly gets them closer.
4. Kevin Love
2019-2020 Statistics: 17.6 PPG, 9.8 RPG, 3.2 APG, 0.6 SPG, 0.3 BPG
Kevin Love is an excellent shooter as a big man and a proficient rebounder with a knack for knowing where to be on the boards. The New York Knicks lack star power and big names at the moment, and former NBA champion Kevin Love can come in and address that immediately. Love had a strong season yet again despite not fitting into the Cleveland Cavaliers plans for the future and has kept his head down to continue to produce at a nice level without talent around him.
Kevin Love will at least bring championship experience to a Knicks locker room devoid of any, and also brings star power and floor spacing if he starts alongside Julius Randle. The Knicks can solidify their front-court with a Kevin Love trade, improving their size and perimeter shooting at once. The Knicks should do their best to develop Barrett while fighting for the playoffs, and Love is a nice piece for that.
3. Chris Paul
2019-2020 Statistics: 17.6 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 6.7 APG, 1.6 SPG, 0.2 BPG
All-NBA performer Chris Paul proved he is not past his prime and can still ball at an elite level. As one of the best point guard in the NBA, still, Paul is the best leader in the league and one of the most iconic floor generals in history. Chris Paul doesn’t make the Knicks a title contender on his own, but he brings a culture-changing attitude immediately. The Knicks locker room needs winners and leaders inside, and Chris Paul has shown he can change a locker room with his vocal leadership and excellent play on the court.
Chris Paul has the respect of every NBA player, fan, and staff member throughout the league which starts to bring an aura of winning to the franchise. The Knicks lack any respect at the moment and Chris Paul brings Hall of Fame point guard credentials to a team that is desperate for a culture change. For the sake of Knicks fans everywhere, Chris Paul is a must get for the franchise.
2. John Wall
2018-2019 Statistics: 20.7 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 8.7 APG, 1.5 SPG, 0.9 BPG
Everybody has seemingly forgotten about John Wall. When healthy, Wall is challenging the best point guards in the league with his excellent playmaking and incredible speed. While Wall older and not expected to be as athletic as he used to be, he is still a point guard with tremendous basketball awareness who can bring star power to the team. Wall will begin to push the pace on offense and R.J.Barrett will benefit tremendously from Wall’s playmaking.
John Wall missed all of last year with an injury, but he will be an All-Star talent if he is healthy. The Washington Wizards need a rebuild desperately, and they will be looking to move on from John Wall’s massive contract as soon as possible. John Wall might have the single worst contract in the NBA right now, and the Knicks can take advantage by offering as little as possible to get a player who could be an All-Star again.
1. Russell Westbrook
2019-2020 Statistics: 27.2 PPG, 7.9 RPG, 7.0 APG, 1.6 SPG, 0.4 BPG
No doubt about it, the player the New York Knicks should target with priority is Russell Westbrook. Westbrook had a terrific regular season with the Rockets last year, but he was poor in the Playoffs as he was not at 100% health. As the regular season showed, however, a healthy Russell Westbrook is one of the very best players in the league. His triple-double skillset and inhuman athleticism will bring fans all over the world watching the Knicks again, something that has been missing for so long.
Russell Westbrook is a must-see TV that fights perfectly in the bright lights of Madison Square Garden. New York is the city that never sleeps, and Russell Westbrook is the player that never rests. He goes 100% every night and his level of play is exactly what the Knicks need to bring excitement and flair back to the team.
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