The New York Knicks missed the postseason this season after having made a fairytale run behind Julius Randle’s amazing performances during the last campaign. Things sort of fell apart for the Knicks, with their vaunted defense falling apart a little bit and Randle’s game regressing a fair bit from where it was last season. As such, with the offseason approaching, the franchise needs to evaluate its options and see what it can do next season to get back closer to the top.
Kemba Walker became a Knick at the start of this season, but only managed to feature in 37 games for the team. In that time he averaged an abysmal 11 points per game by his standards, with Walker seemingly being past his prime at this point. However, according to an Eastern Conference executive, a trade could be possible between the Knicks and the Hornets that would see Walker and Randle included in a deal for Gordon Hayward (via heavy.com).
“This is obviously a low point in value for Julius Randle and it is tough to trade a guy when that is the case. And the Knicks have been saying they want to keep him, they’re going to keep building around him, which is probably the right thing to say at this point. But it won’t take much to convince them to move him. They have a couple of problems, and so you need to find another team that is looking to move off a problem and they can do that with Charlotte if they take back Gordon Hayward.
You can send Randle and Kemba Walker, get him back home, and take back Hayward and it is a respectable deal for everyone involved. The Knicks get back a star-caliber player, they get rid of Kemba’s contract. The team has had an interest in Hayward before, though that was before Leon (Rose) came on. The Hornets get a presence inside, but you’d have to work to get him to fit with LaMelo,” The executive said.
The salaries will work if Charlotte wishes to get Randle and pair him up as an inside presence alongside LaMelo Ball. Kemba going back to the Hornets would also be a sentimental last stop if he can no longer continue to play at a high level. Of course, this would also depend upon any potential deal for Russell Westbrook. The deal could work, but Hayward has had his struggles with injury, and it remains to be seen if the Knicks would want to take a risk like that.
