Likely lottery selection Mohamed Bamba attended an in-person meeting in New York today with members of the Knicks’ organization, tweets Ian Begley of ESPN. Begley seems to opine that the meeting is an indication that the Knicks are considering trading up from the No. 9 pick in order to draft Bamba.
Jonathan Givony of ESPN has endorsed Begley’s report, adding that the Knicks are specifically exploring the option of trading up to the No. 4 spot in the draft, currently owned by the Grizzlies, with Memphis eager to shed the expensive contract of Chandler Parsons.
Despite the reports, it’s also certainly possible that the Knicks are simply conducting due diligence in the event that Bamba slips to them at No. 9, with Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders indicating yesterday that Bamba is a candidate to slip a little further than expected in tomorrow night’s draft.
In addition to the ninth selection, the Knicks enter the 2018 NBA draft with only one other pick – No. 36 overall – and the team doesn’t seem to have many other assets with whom they’d be willing to part, with both Kristaps Porzingis and Tim Hardaway Jr. unlikely to be moved for the opportunity to move a few spots higher in the draft to select an unknown, albeit gifted prospect.
Givony’s report seems to imply that the Grizzlies may be willing to trade the No. 4 pick for the No. 9 pick if it means ridding itself of Parsons’ contract, but that would be quite the indictment of Parsons given the breadth of talent at the top of this year’s draft.
Moreover, even if Enes Kanter and Kyle O’Quinn both opt out of their contracts, the Knicks would still likely need to return some salary to the Grizzlies in order to match the value of Parsons’ contract, since they’ll almost assuredly be operating over the cap upon the commencement of the new salary cap year absent any other moves.
Kanter + x (Mudiay?) for #4 & Parsons… Trade Machine went -8 Wins Knicks, +9 Wins Griz lmao.
Kanter is opting in, no one is eager to give him 18M on the open market.
Sorry and #9
But he won’t opt in before the draft, so it’s essentially moot, not to mention why would Memphis want him when they have Gasol…
Kanter is more of a 4, not a stretch 4, but a 4.
Kanter, Baker, and #9 for Parsons and #4 seems like it would work. Would prefer Doncic if he slips, though. Bamba and Porzingis isn’t going to work in the modern NBA. Especially without a great PG.
Kanter hasn’t opted in, so the deal is moot.
Why isn’t it going to work in the “modern NBA”? If being paired with a great stretch 4 won’t work, then Bamba has no chance in the NBA. Really, his best chance of being successful is to go to 7, 8, or 9 – the three teams in the top 10 with a legit stretch 4 that Bamba can perfectly compliment.
Noah & 9 for Parsons & 4. $5.5 MM per year to move up 5 spots. Seems like a reasonable deal.
Don’t know why it didn’t show up, but I meant Noah, Mudiay, & 9 for Parsons & 4.
Why in hell would Memphis do that? A slightly lesser bad contract? Not worth it.
Because he is making 5.5 million less per year. AND they would get the savings from the lesser salary for the 9th pick v. the 4th pick. I mean we are talking about $8 million a year in cost savings. That is worth something.
NOAH…??? JOACKHIM NOAH….? ARE YOU SURE …?? IS THIS SARCASM? WHO NEED NOAH….??? WHO WANT NOAH….??? NO ONE…..THATS FACT
Kanter, Mudiay, Thomas, 9 for Parson, Green and 4
You’re assuming Kanter opts in, which he said he won’t before the draft, so this is a moot deal. Also, why would Memphis trade for Kanter when they have Gasol?
If the Grizzlies really want to dump Parsons contract, this is the only acceptable trade:
Parsons and the #4 pick for Mudiay, Lee, Baker and Thomas. NO #9 pick. If the Knicks are willing to jeopardize their financial flexibility then the Knicks shouldn’t make ANY deal that involves their 2018 #9 draft pick.
I’m sure Memphis would love to get rid of Parsons contract but not at the cost of giving up the 4th for bench players like you suggested. Absolutely awful, if a GM came to the owner with that they’d be fired instantly.
If I’m memphis and can’t find a trade to get rid of Parsons I’d just stretch him you’re already paying for him to not play so might as well clear up a roster spot
That saves Memphis about couple million. They wouldn’t do they with the 9th pick included.
If the Knicks made said deal, and had the opportunity to draft Porter (assuming Ayton, Bagley and Doncic are selected), but passed and selected Bamba…ugh.
Kings needs a SF/SG could use Le.
dont do it please
There really aren’t many options for the #4-for-Parsons offer. It’s almost an empty offer. But I would be surprised if Denver’s offer isn’t taken, unless it’s BOTH Faried and Arthur ($20.4mil).
I think it’s both. They want to offer Jokic max, b/c they’re wusses and afraid he’ll walk even though he wont b/c they can offer him more years and more money than anyone else.
Same b.s. that people were crying about with Mike Trout making 500k. Oh he will be upset he won’t sign long-term… and then he got 150M.
Next year the guys they’re trying to dump at the expense of the #14 will come off the books naturally– $33mil’s worth. Plus Milsap can be cut. They will be flush. There’s the money for Jokic and Lyles.
Surely they can go into the tax to keep Barton this year, and pick a Bridges.
Parsons and the #4 for Hardaway and #9
This is all smoke, no fire. C’mon if KP isn’t involved, then the Knicks have nothing of value to offer. Hardaway is garbage. Let’s get real — Memphis isn’t trading out of No. 4 just to dump Parsons. This is without a doubt, FAKE NEWS!
Memphis would need wings to compete next year, and that’s about all we can offer. I’d trade THJ, C.Lee, Burke, #9 and #36, for Parsons, filler expiring contract and #4. We don’t have anything else. Kanter (even if agreed to opt in) and Mudiay just don’t fit.
Not sure Bamba would be my pick. But that’s secondary. This would be a full tier jump in the draft. One of Doncic, JJ and Bamba have to be there. I really wouldn’t care who they took out of that group.
Brooklyn could offer Dinwiddie, DeMarre Carroll, Rondae Hollis Jefferson, and Donte Cunningham (to make salaries match plus waivable) for Parsons and the number 4. Brooklyn doesn’t have a pick but Dinwiddie has the value of a late lottery selection in my opinion. The trade also saves Memphis 5 million in salary this year. I don’t really think Memphis should trade the pick, but a trade with Brooklyn would save them money and bring back 3 wing players, 4 if they keep Cunningham.
If the Knicks make a deal with Memphis, I don’t want them picking Bamba. I don’t think you draft a player at 4 who is currently 1 dimensional. And Bamba will not be able to dominate the NBA because of his height. He’s gonna need to get a lot stronger as well. His weight is currently listed at 225. For comparison, KP weighs 240 and he’s like tissue paper in the nba. If the Knicks can get Doncic, its worth it to move up. I also like Jackson especially because his dad was a pro. Otherwise, I think they get somebody good at 9. I am not eager for them to move. Carter Jr or Mikal Bridges or gambling on Porter if he falls are better options than Bamba.
Man all this Knicks fans they do offer a lot of garbage for the #4 to Memphis, you cannot try to fleece people you have to pay the real value, come on get real guys, even Ntlikina, Mudiay, Kanter (if possible), THJ & #9 aint’t worth the #4.