Proposed Knicks Trade Involves Jaylen Brown, RJ Barrett, Damian Lillard & More

Bleacher Report placed the New York Knicks in a three-team trade involving 10 different assets, including All-Stars Jaylen Brown and Damian Lillard.

As the New York Knicks community starves for another star, it seems the quest for Philadelphia 76ers MVP center Joel Embiid is certainly pending. In the meantime, one has to assume the Knicks' front office is looking to land other All-NBA caliber players and make their teams offers they can't refuse.

Bleacher Report's Zach Buckley played general manager and came up with a three-team deal so crazy that it involves 10 different assets.

In the deal, the Knicks would receive two-time All-Star and division rival Jaylen Brown from the Boston Celtics, who would land long-standing Portland Trail Blazer Damian Lillard and a top-dozen protected pick from New York (the one gained from the Washington Wizards during the 2022 draft). Finally, the rebuilding Blazers would nab the Knicks' first-rounders in 2026 and 2028, as well as RJ Barrett, Quentin Grimes, Jericho Sims, and Boston's reigning Sixth Man of the Year Malcolm Brogdon (capped off with a Boston-based pick swap in 2027).

"A Brown-(Jalen) Brunson-(Julius) Randle trio could move New York into the championship discussion," Buckley said. "A supporting cast that would still include Immanuel Quickley, Josh Hart, Donte DiVincenzo, Mitchell Robinson, and Isaiah Hartenstein might give the Knicks a top-eight rotation as strong as any."  

The Knicks have saved up a plethora of picks that they never used for a Donovan Mitchell trade last summer, the idea of losing one protected first is something it can live with. New York was also a playoff team last season, so they aren't exactly desperate when it comes to the draft.

Losing Barrett, viewed by some as a franchise cornerstone, would be disappointing as he averaged 19.6 points last season. But his inconsistent shooting throughout the regular season was concerning, especially from the outside (34 to 31 percent). 

Grimes showed a lot of improvement during his second season in the league, nearly doubling his scoring average (11.3) from the year before (6.0) after entering the starting five. The 23-year-old holds a lot of promise that may make the Knicks hesitant to give him away, as evidenced when they also kept him out of a Mitchell deal. 

Sims hasn't gotten his feet very wet in the NBA pool after two seasons, but he recorded the league's second-best shooting percentage last season (77.6, min. 30 games), despite only averaging 3.4 points per game (and almost all of those shots coming within three feet). He's also shown the brand of size, extreme athleticism, and versatile defending that would be beneficial with Obi Toppin gone.

It's a lot to give up, but receiving Brown would be a massive step in the right direction for the Knicks after finishing by far their best season in a decade.

Buckley describes Brown as an "actualized version of what the Knicks hope Barrett could one day become," and that's fairly accurate. Despite averaging a high number of points, 2019's third overall pick has been disappointing from midrange, something he excelled at during his Duke days. Brown is among the best mid-range scorers in the NBA and averages 26.6 points per game (13th in the Association).

After last season, an argument could be made that the Knicks are an All-Star away from being a true threat in the Eastern Conference. Who better to accomplish the goal than someone who's been a two-time All-Star?

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You can follow Hunter De Siver on Twitter @HunterDeSiver.

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You can follow Hunter De Siver on Twitter @HunterDeSiver.

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