Given the way both franchises view this class ahead of the 2020 NBA Draft on Nov. 18, the Golden State Warriors and New York Knicks are shaping up to be perfect trade partners. With Golden State focused on prospects outside of the consensus top three in LaMelo Ball, Anthony Edwards and James Wiseman and New York very high on Ball, it makes sense for the two sides to swap positions.
Bleacher Report has projected trades for the Knicks to move up in the draft in the past but Jonathan Wasserman predicted a new one on Thursday. In this trade, the Knicks would send the No. 8 pick, No. 27 pick (via Clippers), Dallas’ 2021 first round pick and Frank Ntilikina to the Warriors for the No. 2 pick.
For New York, this would allow them to jump up and take Ball, who would be available in Wasserman’s mock after Anthony Edwards went first to Minnesota. The picks they would have to give up would also be a relatively cheap price relatively speaking. Given all the picks they have in the future, New York only being forced to give up two picks this season and Dallas’ pick over their own next season would be a price they could likely afford.
As for Golden State, for moving down six spots into the range that has prospects they prefer over Ball anyway, they gain two extra first round picks and a guard that could be a resurrection prospect. Ntilikina is still a young prospect at 22 years old and, given the reputation the Knicks have gained in previous years, could excel away from New York and in Golden State’s system.
While he’s not as natural a fit, it’s worth a risk for the Warriors, who lack many young assets and could turn Ntilikina into one. The main assets in the deal, though, are the picks. The Warriors could use the picks to either build a young core that they do not have or as ammunition for trades to help their win-now mentality.
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