From ESPN:
The Portland Trail Blazers are trading Josh Hart to the New York Knicks, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski on Wednesday night.
In return, New York is sending Cam Reddish and a protected future first-round pick to Portland, sources say.
The deal comes on the eve of the NBA trade deadline.
I love how Leon Rose keeps doing these, “Eh, whatever” trades.
This is only an “Eh, whatever” deal, though, if it involves one of the less-likely-to-convey picks, like the Wizards one. If it is one of the better ones, then I think this might tip into actively not a good deal.
But if it’s the Wizards pick, eh, whatever, it’s a fine enough trade. Not great, but not bad, either. Hart will at least play for the Knicks, which is something, right? But I doubt they re-sign him, right? So it’s not really much of a move either way.
But hey, at least it wasn’t a bad move!
Okay, the trade is actually the Knicks’ own first round pick this year, provided they make the playoffs. If they miss the playoffs, then they will instead trade four second round picks. Wow, I guess then that means they’re re-signing Josh Hart for next season, right? No way you trade a mid-first round pick for Hart to not re-sign him, right? But wouldn’t the Knicks just be able to use their MLE on Hart this offseason if they want him? I mean, I guess if you trade Grimes or IQ this offseason in another star trade, maybe it makes sense to have Hart to replace them? And then open the MLE up for somebody else? I dunno, man, this is a weird trade. And I like Josh Hart. I really do, but as a back of the rotation guy (while still a rotation guy). He’s just not much of a gamechanger in and of himself to trade a first round pick for him, so there has to be another side of this. There has to be. There has to be. Come on, there has to be.
Meanwhile, at least Jalen Brunson is very happy to be reunited with Josh Hart….
@jalenbrunson1 post jersey retirement ceremony finding out @joshhart was traded to the @nyknicks pic.twitter.com/bffT3HFzaA
— 🏀Nova Hoops (@Capj1344) February 9, 2023
That’s pretty fucking adorable, right?
(And yes, the idea that they traded a slightly singed first round pick for Cam Reddish, only to have to add another first round pick to him to get Josh Hart is…not an impressive sounding series of transactions)