NBA News: Lakers Re-Route Valentine to Knicks Following Rondo Trade

With the NBA trade deadline still a little over a month away, the league hasn't seen a ton of action in the trade market just yet. However, the Los Angeles

With the NBA trade deadline still a little over a month away, the league hasn't seen a ton of action in the trade market just yet. However, the Los Angeles Lakers and the Cleveland Cavaliers got things started late last week as they engaged in a deal.

As the Cavaliers have been thriving throughout the start of the 2021-2022 NBA season, they took a significant hit as their veteran guard Ricky Rubio suffered a torn ACL, immediately ending his run this year.

Once the Cavs received Rubio's official diagnosis, it became clear that they would search the market for a veteran point guard to keep their playoff hopes alive and well this year. At first, the Philadelphia 76ers were linked to Cleveland as a potential trade partner as the Cavaliers have shown interest in the disgruntled Ben Simmons before.

But Cleveland wasn't looking for a blockbuster deal. Instead, they contacted the Los Angeles Lakers to check on the availability of their veteran championship-winning point guard, Rajon Rondo. Fortunately for Cleveland, Rondo was on the table.

Last Friday, the Cavaliers and the Lakers finalized a deal that sent Rondo to Cleveland in exchange for the veteran forward, Denzel Valentine. According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, Valentine wasn't expected to actually join the Lakers as Los Angeles reportedly intended to waive him. However, the Lakers found another way to move on from their newly acquired forward.

The Knicks Enter the Conversation

On Monday, the Lakers traded Valentine to the New York Knicks in what became a three-team deal between L.A., Cleveland, and New York, reports Adrian Wojnarowski. 

Knicks are acquiring Denzel Valentine in a three-way deal with Lakers and Cavs for $1.1M, two draft-rights players for the draft rights to Louis Labeyrie, sources tell ESPN. Knicks will make a decision today on keeping Valentine or providing him opportunity to sign elsewhere.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) January 3, 2022

The Lakers will free up a roster spot and get Valentine off the books. Meanwhile, the Knicks are reportedly undecided on what they will do with the veteran. Per Wojnarowski, there is a chance the Knicks move on from Valentine as early as Monday to free up roster space and allow him to sign wherever.

Valentine appeared in 22 games for the Cavaliers this year. Averaging just under ten minutes off the bench, he contributed to 2.9 points per game while shooting 40-percent from three on roughly two attempts per game.

Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_.