News & Blogs
Knicks rout Wizards, 132-101, extend winning streak to season-high seven games – SNY
Knicks’ Mohamed Diawara, Josh Hart exit Wizards game with ankle injuries – SNY
Knicks vs. Wizards odds, prediction, spread, time: 2026 NBA picks for Tuesday, February 3 from proven model – CBS Sports
Knicks 132, Wizards 101: “Good stuff, no drama stress free team win.” – Posting & Toasting
How to watch Knicks vs. Wizards: TV channel and streaming options for February 3 – The New York Times
New Knicks Rumors on Giannis Trade Pursuit amid Karl-Anthony Towns, Current Roster Buzz – BleacherReport
Game Thread: Knicks at Wizards, February 3, 2026 – Posting & Toasting
Knicks vs Nuggets Preview w/ Adam Mares | PREGAME POD | Knicks Film School – Knicks Film School
Knicks Destroy The Wizards In Gauntlet Tune Up| Post Game Show | EP 690 – Knicks Fan TV
Knicks Trade Targets May Up Open After Utah Trade – Knick of Time
Strickland Trade Deadline Livestream! – The Strickland
KNICKS at WIZARDS | FULL GAME HIGHLIGHTS | February 3, 2026 – NBA
The Putback with Ian Begley: Knicks trade deadline updates with Shaun Geddes – Begley Putback
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156 replies on “Knicks Morning News (2026.02.04)”
Okay, all the other East contenders have made a move. I don’t see a Giannis deal happening in-season, at least not for us. So that leaves a marginal trade the most likely path, involving Yabu and whatever other fungible salaries and second rounders are necessary. Katz and Edwards said on Katz’s podcast that neither thinks the Knicks wouldn’t dump Yabu just to dump him – at least, not if it cost them any real pick value, like the fake Wizards first. They would only spend pick capital if they got back a player who can contribute this year.
Been a while since I did this, but Question of the Day time, before we get into previewing the Nuggets game later:
If you could pick one kind of rotation player the Knicks trade our roster flotsam and picks for, which should it be: 1)Another ballhandler/creator, 2)Another wing, 3)Another big man?
Good morning, all!
I was at the game too, DS. What a beatdown, eh? #futnfh Glad he still lives rent-free in your head.
In answer to Alan…….another big man.
The top two 2nds it converts into are quite valuable, isn’t it? It’s a real asset.
Oh, I agree, darules. I just call it “fake” because it won’t actually be a first. Everyone knows we’ll be getting a pick near/at the top of the second round, and that the other second will probably be a good one, too.
Alan’s certainly got the more reasonable question of the day but for anyone who wants to engage in some trade porn…
Since the Clippers are pivoting from this year into a different timeline, and they likely want to rid themselves of Kawhi at this point, what about KAT for Kawhi?
And if that makes sense, doesn’t a subsequent swap of Mikal for Zubac seem like a logical next step?
KAT + Mikal for Kawhi + Zubac + Jones works in the trade machine with the tiniest bit of finagling.
LA pivots to a Garland, Mikal, KAT team with tons of flexibility to finish the roster.
And the Knicks solve just about every single problem at once. A defense with OG + Kawhi next to Zubac or Mitch is terrifying. Kawhi is the second ballhandler Brunson needs. And Zubac is the playmaking center he needs, as well. Plus both cancers gone.
Until the tree planting company investigation is complete, at least.
In Leon’s case they’re even more valuable, because if it was a first he’d trade out leaving us mad, and two 2nd rp i think he’ll use. 😉
Alan, i think we need another Yabu, meaning a player exactly what we thought Yabu would be.
At PG we’re good between Brunson, Kolek and Deuce (when Kolek is not playing well), at SG even better with Mikal, Deuce, Shamet… even Hart if needed, at SF we have OG, Hart and Mikal/Shamet can play here too, at PF we have OG and KAT, and then KAT and Mitch at C (i don’t think Huk is ready for postseason), we can play Hart at PF at times, but it’s not a good fit, we need Yabu to be better, or another Yabu.
The funny thing about that Wizards first is the fleeting moment where we thought that Trae Young trade might actually help us. Turned out one of their primary motivations for making that trade was to downgrade from CJ to Trae ensure they kept the pick.
As for your question, Alan, I think we need to value that pick more than the minimal upgrade we’re likely to get by trading it.
I would prioritize getting a big without using the pick. Yabu should have enough value as a change-of-scenery flyer to pick up someone like Bagley, Lopez, maybe even Sochan.
But we’re not close enough to think trading two quality seconds for a 9th man is a smart move.
Cyber, I’m worried about Deuce. Macri was saying the other day that he suspects the MRI is going to be bad news.
Hubs, I actually do kind of like that trade. But you gotta admit, talking about getting rid of two cancers in a trade that brings back Kawhi? I guess 1 cancer is better than 2 but Kawhi isn’t exactly known to be the easiest guy to play with.
Yeah, I thought of that, too. We’d have to do our homework and talk to him. If Kawhi doesn’t want to be here, you back off.
My guess is we’d get one great run out of him right now, then he’d probably want an extension this summer and become a cancer if he didn’t get one. But I also think we’re heading to that same confrontation with KAT this summer, too.
Just noting that if I see shit like that again, there will not be a return from that banning.
I think we need a big. Preferably with a mean streak and a motor. Any slips on the beanstalk and our goose is cooked.
I think I’m pretty glad to say that I had no idea what that 40 percent thing even meant in the first place, and I’d like to keep it that way. 🙂
I didn’t know what the term meant, either, and didn’t think it was worth looking up until today. Now I’m afraid of all the anti-semitic bullshit the algorithm is going to start sending my way because I did.
WTF Bob?
Knicks need another ball handler, creator especially if Deuce is out for a decent amount of time.
We need a big. But only if Yabu is going out. And the list of potential candidates doesn’t really excite me given that Yabu seems to be slowly improving, and other assets probably would need to be included.
He gave 40% to Uncle Schmul
Just noting that if I see shit like that again, there will not be a return from that banning.
who wrote that?
Re: Cleveland
I think it’s easy to dismiss this move by falling back on the narratives about Harden and Cleveland being playoff busts. But I think don’t think either narrative holds up to scrutiny.
Garland’s toe was one of the best developments of the year for us. Before the season I called it almost as impactful as the injuries to Tatum and Halliburton. And now they’ve got Harden in his place.
This is pretty big. The East is a four-horse race now. We can certainly win it, and we might even still be the favorites. But it’s looking more and more like just the slightest edge.
I’m with Cyber, we need the Yabu that was promised. It’s incredibly frustrating.
Yabu isn’t cutting it and, even when healthy, teams seem happy to double off of Diawara, which will only get worse in the playoffs.
If we have a 2nd choice, between C and PG, I think that’s a harder question. Mitch has the injury history he does and while Huk has been decent as a 3rd string C, he has major TO issues that will only get worse if pressed into a bigger role in the playoffs. On the other hand, I’m very nervous about Kolek’s ability to perform in the playoffs.
I don’t love the idea of trading those picks, certainly not both, but we are at a place on the win curve that you need to consider filling a gaping hole at backup 4. Teams know that and have some leverage.
For the option we have yet to consider, if God forbid Deuce is out for the season—which would prove the non-existence of a benevolent God—do we trade Deuce?
(1) Deuce has one more year of being cost-controlled and I’m not convinced Dolan is willing to pay to keep him and our other pieces.
(2) Even with the injury, a team gets a full year of cost control on Deuce and Bird Rights.
(3) Without Deuce this season, our chances of winning a championship fall precipitously based on his On-Off. Two years with another player may give us a better championship shot than 1 year of Deuce.
(4) This has been by far and away Deuce’s best year, and he may not replicate it next season coming off an injury.
We’d need to combine him with another asset, but he’s a great trade chip and potentially lands us a very valuable player.
https://knickerblogger.net/2026/02/2025-26-game-thread-knicks-wizards/#comment-997495
As someone noted to me, they could see it being a sort of post-ironic use of the term or whatever. Sure, let’s call it that. Either way, no more of it.
This is the correct answer.
One of the things we lack most is getting to the line. Brunson is Brunson, but KAT, having lost a half step, probably won’t get to the line much, and we all know Mikal refuses contact. Ideally we could nab a bench player who can dribble, pass, and get to the rack/line in Brunson’s absence.
I thought this is kinda what Clarkson was supposed to be but no dice.
This player profile isn’t usually on sale because it’s rarer. The only possibility I could find is Colin Sexton, but his contract is big enough to be an issue (in other words, we would have to trade Mitch to get him.)
That would create a new problem UNLESS we also trade a youngster for Jay Huff to play backup C. None of this is ideal, but it’s what I thought of. Maybe you guys have better ideas?
I agree that Cleveland is better now, though they are definitely worse long-term. I also think that there’s a decent downgrade defensively from Harden to Garland – and Mobley to me is still below his DPOY level.
The other thing is that the Cavs at their best were very much a good systems team, with a lot of movement and passing. I struggle to see how Harden will sustain that. He slows everything down. Maybe the different looks will help, but I just don’t see how they keep the relentless attacking nature that the best version of this team had.
I think this is where a brutally honest assessment of where we truly are is needed. The starting lineup hasn’t worked for over a year and we’ve got major health concerns with multiple key reserves.
The Cavs were going to want to get off of Garland’s contract in the offseason regardless, so getting a guy still playing at an All-Star level on offense for Garland, when Garland wasn’t even playing, is definitely still an upgrade, but yeah, it’s barely an upgrade this season, and all it does is free up some money for, like, the next Ty Jerome this coming offseason.
I think it’s a huuuuuge upgrade this season. Garland’s been shit playing with that injury.
I’d be more willing to call it a huge upgrade if Harden and Mitchell didn’t duplicate each other’s best skills and worst skills (both good offensive minds with the ball in their hands, and both weak defenders).
Mitchell, of course, can also excel off of the ball, while Harden sees the court like a genius, so yes, that’s where you figure the upgrade theoretically can come. But Mitchell has to be open to that. Will he be?
I do this in a second, which means LA likely doesn’t. While KAT & Mikal aren’t old, they’re a little long in the tooth for a Garland team and not quite good enough to make that team competitive out West. Meanwhile, both Zubac (27) & Jones (27) are basically the same age as Garland (26).
Maybe they’re really high on Diawara or, as much as I hate bringing up again, we trade Deuce.
I’m so upset. I didn’t sleep at all Monday night so I fell asleep in the 3rd with the Knicks up 27 and missed Huk taking 3’s. I so wanted to see em in real time. My patience won’t let me skim through game highlights on YouTube to see if I can find it as I can’t find a highlights of his 3 anywhere lol
AND HE TOOK 2 OF THEM!!
Hukporti is the new GOAT LOL
“As someone noted to me, they could see it being a sort of post-ironic use of the term or whatever…….”
We can contact you directly on meta forum-related matters? How do we go about doing that?
Between Shamet, Hart, Mikal, and OG, we might be the only team in the NBA that would have some trouble incorporating another non-star-but-solid wing, and I feel okay about our ball handling situation, though the Deuce situation has me worried and if it’s bad we have to account for that.
It’s the big depth that gets shallow early. Between Mitch’s general propensity to miss time and KAT’s scoring yips, we’re staring down the barrel of Ariel Hukporti minutes in the playoffs. So I think we could really use another big that can shoot a bit without killing you defensively or on the glass.
Someone like 2024-2025 Guerschon Yabusele…sigh.
In all seriousness I’d be reasonably intrigued if we parlayed him into Sochan, even if it cost the WAS picks. Sochan had a bona fide promising season as a kind of wing/big hybrid at age 21, and I think there’s some more bloom left on that rose.
No we don’t! ARE YOU CRAZY?? WE HAVE A HUKPORTI!! LMAO
I jest. But I too, am worried about Deuce’s ankle. Rest may not be enough
After the recent win streak, the Brunson/Mikal/Hart/OG/KAT lineup is apparently up to a +8.0.
I’m very skeptical that holds, the win streak coincides nicely with no longer playing Western Conference teams, and some pretty garbage East teams at that.
Sample size. Sample size. Sample size. But it’s what we have to go on.
NBA.com box scores lets you click on a stat and watch each play used to accumulate that stat.
NBA.com’s box scores are really freaking awesome. Just click on Huk’s 3PA stat.
https://www.nba.com/game/nyk-vs-was-0022500718/box-score
I was reading somewhere that Mike Conley might get bought out by The Bulls and he would be a pick up candidate for us if so. He’s old but still effective in bench minutes and would give us another ball handler.
As much as I love watching Kolek’s growth, I do like the idea of getting Conley just in case. We have no idea how Kolek will react once he faces playoff intensity for the first time. As long as Brown didn’t immediately start giving all of Kolek’s minutes to Conley, I would love the pick up, especially since we wouldn’t be sending anyone out to get him.
And I wonder if we should do the same with a big. Just wait for the waiver wire because dudes always get bought out after the trade deadline. Just not sure what bigs might be available.
I’m not worried about Kolek dealing with playoff intensity, he doesn’t seem like someone who’ll be fazed by big game pressure. I’m worried about his ball handling and decision making against the better defensive teams.
2025 Delon Wright = 2026 Mike Conley
That’s what I meant by playoff intensity. I know he has the character and demeanor for it. Dude is a competitor. But I still think we could use another vet PG for the playoffs just in case.
EB passing out the “poop” this morning (poop meaning useful information, don’t ask me why, it just does)…
rather than any kind of trade, i’m thinking we cut someone and pick someone else up from the “buy out” market a little later this season…
a defensive big hopefully…
Was a little surprised at just how much the Wizards fans *hate* Trae Young. I mean, he was booed just for being shown on the Jumbotron. I almost felt a little bit badly for him—he didn’t ask for any of this. At least, I don’t think he did.
And the Cavs and Clips play each other tonight. Predictably, both Harden and Garland are out.
Expected Lineup
PG Jamal Murray
SG Jalen Pickett
SF C. Braun
PF Peyton Watson
C Nikola Jokic
MAY NOT PLAY
F C. Johnson Doubt
G T. Bates Out
F A. Gordon Out
Expected Lineup
PG Jalen Brunson
SG J. Hart Ques
SF Mikal Bridges
PF OG Anunoby
C K. Towns
MAY NOT PLAY
F K. McCullar Ques
C M. Robinson Prob
F M. Diawara Ques
F J. Hart Ques
G M. McBride Ques
With all of the hand-wringing about Deuce today, I note that he has (at least for now) been upgraded to Questionable instead of Out for tonight’s game.
Just for the record, Brian, the young lady who is laying in bed next to me for the past 9 years is a retired Jewish Finance professor at CUNY who was educated in a religious school. She uses the term in a jocular way all the time when referring to tax season. I learned it from by Jewish clients in business. Never in a million years thought anyone would find it offensive for those reasons. They seem to think it is a pretty funny play on words.
Weird on the Deuce upgrade given the reports yesterday. Gotta think that is good news since it must be based on the results of further testing. But a small part of me that recalls the beginning of the season Mitch antics wonders if –on the eve of the trade deadline–it is meant to serve a different purpose.
EB, that’s amazing about the box score. Who knew? You did, obviously.
Re another big, I’ll just note that someone who shall go nameless was 5-7 for 12 points with 9 rebounds and 2 blocks in 21 minutes. And a three (taken without hesitation!).
Yeah he was a foul machine, but welcome to the NBA as a second-year big. Hopefully he gets enough playing time to learn not to do that.
Only one turnover.
Happily go into the playoffs with Huk as a fringe rotation emergency minutes guy. Enough energy that he shouldn’t be a liability for short stretches.
This is brilliant if Kawhi actually competes and gives a shit but it’s very risky ALL IN type thinking trading a 29 year old star for a 34 year old star without additional compensation. Maybe thats why I love it.
Another version of a Kawhi trade that works is KAT/Yabu/Clarkson for Kawhi/Lopez. Perhaps slightly more palatable to LA if they’re looking to just pivot younger while staying competitive.
Poor RJ. Sacramento?
Tommy Beer posted this, which I thought was quite interesting:
https://bsky.app/profile/tommybeernba.bsky.social/post/3me26um5rvs2j
Even with that insanely bad 10 game stretch, the 2025-26 Knicks have improved their offense by 2 points/100 possessions compared to last year, while keeping the same defensive performance. Their net rating is 50% higher (4.0 –> 6.0). And all this while playing their starters 10% fewer minutes per game.
Their isolations are down quite a bit and their 3PAs have increased significantly.
The coaching change has worked exactly as desired, I’d say.
Intended or not, and I won’t doubt your sincerity, it does sound a heck of a lot like something Kyrie Irving would post on his Twitter page
Thanks for the Beers piece, Marechal. Fascinating.
Always thought PACE was not really a thing (at least for us). Hardly moved from last year, but our passes are up by over 10 per game. Hell, we had 34 assists yesterday, that’s lunatic!
Some important context: an increase of 2 free throw attempts per game has increased the league scoring average by one full point. Maintaining the same defensive performance is quite meaningful, as it means we’ve improved on both sides of the ball relative to the benchmark.
I feel like I’m always Mr. Stand Pat of the board, but i think we have a solid 8 man rotation as long as Duece is healthy. If not, I would maybe try to snag Marshall from Dallas, as long as it didn’t cost a rotation piece. I’m really fine running the end of the bench guys out there situationally until someone emerges. I hope it’s Mo’.
If KAT could throw the ball in the ocean from the beach, Mike Brown might be a COY contender. Even during the bad stretches, it has been really refreshing to not feel like we were resigned for going for 2 points at a time in a league that had moved on from that.
hi g-man, good to see you posting sir 😊
hope all is well for you and you’re staying healthy…
Sounded like someone from the New York Giants was posting here…….
that’s funny doogie, we got monikers, nicknames and real names…
just like a big ol’ family…
Answering the lead question, (ballhandler/creator, wing or big), I think Deuce’s ankle is the big issue right now. If it’s “nothing” then I want a big but it would be a PF/C.
If Deuce’s ankle is more than nothing, it would be a ballhandler/creator but someone that can really replace Deuce which is tough. He’s a PG/SG that can handle the ball, hit 3’s and defend. It would need to be someone that provides all three reliably.
The names I hear most often are Jose Alvarado from the Pelicans and Naji Marshall from the Mavericks. I can see how we can make the Alvarado trade work. Both Dallas and the Knicks are up against the cap.
i think without a doubt we need a backup PG, ideally one that isn’t tiny.
If Conley gets bought out I would 100% go for that even if he is small. I am a little concerned about Kolek bringing the ball up against Ausar Thompson or Derrick White. Not so much against the Cavs guards lol.
Meanwhile – sneaky good moves by the Pistons. They needed more shooting and weren’t really optizming Ivey anyway. They are giant across the board and now significantly better on the perimeter. They are going to be a tough out. Interestingly there is definitely a nonzero chance they will be playing Charlotte in the first round… not exactly your usual 1-8 matchup.
What in god’s name are the Wizards doing? Did we break them?
In other words, Anthony Davis to the Wizards. Guessing it might have been largely agreed to before last night’s abomination.
“Both Dallas and the Knicks are up against the cap.”
Maybe not anymore in the case of Dallas.
Dang. Deuce out now. So much for the “upgrade” from this morning:
Expected Lineup
PG Jalen Brunson
SG J. Hart Ques
SF Mikal Bridges
PF OG Anunoby
C K. Towns
MAY NOT PLAY
F M. Diawara Ques
F J. Hart Ques
G M. McBride Out
F K. McCullar Out
Trae and AD is certainly..something.
That’s bizarre, and Noble’s question could be aimed at the Mavs, too. However they’re getting a boatload of picks (2 first-round picks and 3 second-rounders) along with a flotilla of bad players, so perhaps it’s more sensible than putting your eggs in an old, injured guy.
Tought this was spot on.
https://x.com/Tony_Pesta/status/2018888122428223796
Washington gave up trying to build through the draft. Utah too.
Did Leon create a new normal?
so what is the final analysis of the Luka trade for Dallas now? bruuuuutal.
Mavs sold extremely low.
Depends if you factor in getting gifted Flagg
Better than the Luka trade for Washington.
I think the Mavs made out like bandits getting actual value for AD. He has a $62.7M player option in 2027-2028 and is having a career-worst year at 33. It’s far from clear he’ll play 82 games…if you combine this season with the last.
Sure, the return is terrible if you’re still pegging AD’s value to the Luka trade. But that was laughable from the jump, they were smart to not wed themselves to it.
I’m just baffled by the Wizards angle here. I mean if you really wanted to jumpstart things, why not pay a bit more for JJJ?
Not sure how Flagg could be considered part of the Luka deal. Totally separate occurrence.
Jared McCain to Thunder.
Oh this Wizards trade is excellent news. No way they can tank unless Trae & AD legitimately can’t return
Seems absurdly risky for a franchise that should focus on their younger players. You can have a reasonable bet for AD’s health if you really think he could take you to the final step and you don’t risk too much of the future. Golden State (if they don’t get Giannis) could be such a place.
Even I could see a glimpse of sense of AD coming to the Knicks (but still, too much risk, because I envision another 3 very good years with the current players we have)
But for the wizards? absurd
Trae isn’t returning anytime soon and Davis hasn’t played since January 8th..
Speaking of that https://x.com/JCMacriNBA/status/2019124313086193782
I think it’s excellent news for our 2nd rounder being #31. It was part of the appeal for the Wizards that they have plausible deniability when it comes to not playing either of their “start” acquisitions this season.
They are too far from the play-in this year not to tank all the way till the end of the season.
Per Yossi Gozlan on twitter:
So the Mavericks turned Luka Doncic into
Max Christie
2029 Lakers first-round pick
2026 Thunder pick (30th)
2030 Warriors first (if 21-30)
3 seconds
i think it’s not as crazy as it looks for the wiz. the picks are much worse than the jjj trade, almost seconds. the 30th this year and a 2030 pick than is 1-20 protected. ad trae and sarr actually fit together decently and they are sick of being horrible. it’s harder these days to launder cap space and get respectable via free agency. it’s obviously a dicey, fragile core, but they’ll have another high lottery pick and a chance to stop sucking if healthy without giving up a single good first. and if ad is hurt next year they can keep trying the lottery. a max extension might ruin it.
That is an absolutely bizarre trade by Washington.
That said, this year’s draft IS really, really loaded, so I can see why they really, really don’t want to lose their first round pick.
Seems like the Sixers just made a trade to Keep Grimes
@ShamsCharania
Ok, I thought they were better picks. Then I am more neutral about it from WAS perspective. Still, the cap space this summer could have been used to facilitate trades, or get picks.
Pt is right that the picks are middling, I just would’ve drawn a hard line at giving up any value at all for AD. I view his contract as negative.
The steel man case is that maybe next season Trae-Tre-George-Sarr-AD plus a high pick, plus the other guys is…something, but that still relies a lot on AD not being cooked, and if/when that core is ready to make actual noise AD projects to be a shell of himself, if he isn’t already, or retired.
Eventually you have to improve the team. Anybody see how dead the Wiz crowd was yesterday. Tanking all the time drives people away from the team .
well, at least now we won’t have to read about KAT have no trade value anymore…
just kidding, yes we will…
The Wiz crowd wasn’t dead. It was alive and thriving, because it was 80% Knicks fans.
Dislike the McCain move, don’t know if he’ll become a star but once he gets back on his feet he’ll be a very solid player. OKC needs another solid rotation player like I need another hole in my head. I’d say ‘Stop it OKC,’ but they’re loaded to do this sort of asset collection for the next decade.
Trae has a bunch of issues, but he can function as the primary option in a way that slots the other Wizards into more appropriate offensive roles.
They’re so bad that it’s difficult to even evaluate the talent they do have. Plus, if you’re as bad at drafting as them, what else are you suppose to do?
Saw a great post on social media about the Harden deal:
“Imagine telling a Thunder fan in 2012 that KD, Russ and Harden would play for 18 teams combined”
Listen..I am I full agreement that the Wizards will still be bad. But there’s a slight chance that both AD & Trae play again this season. Even if AD doesn’t return, Trae is more than good enough to get the Wiz a few more wins than expected. They’re also getting Hardy and Russell, right? Suppose Keefe says ‘f it’ and lets Trae, Russell, Hardy, Sarr, Bub, Champagnie, Coulibaly, George, Johnson, and Whitmore(if he gets healthy soon) just run and gun the rest of the way? There’s still alot of ifs there, but just what if the ping pong balls have a greater chance of bouncing our way w/r/t the Wizards pick and it it actually conveys? In the East, I can totally see that happening. Especially with Charlotte sharing the league’s longest win streak with us, and Dallas(now suddenly as bad as the Wiz), Nawlins, Sacto, and Memphis likely to stink the rest of the way. Hell..if Garland doesn’t return soon, the Clips are gonna be terrible too. I’m just saying anything is possible right now. We need to put good energy in the atmosphere towards AD & Trae returning soon enough to make a difference lol
Mccain has sucked this year and his run of good play as a rookie lasted under 600 minutes.
No way. The trade was made entirely with the intent for them to tank the rest of the season. I doubt AD or Trae sees more than a game in a Wizards jersey this season.
The McCain deal makes a lot more sense now that he really hasn’t looked all that special since the injury. A first round pick in the deep 2026 draft plus three seconds is a nice return, especially as it opens up space for Grimes and Barlow. Barlow has been a hell of a find for them.
SGA now out for at least two weeks.
Dinner at Mi Vida in DC across from the Cap One Arena last night: 10 people wearing Knicks gear for every person wearing Wiz gear.
48 minutes for each of these guys against the Spurs tonight? (Get ready for the narrative that OKC is “scared” to face San Antonio because they’ve already beaten them three times this year.)
Expected Lineup
PG Cason Wallace
SG Isaiah Joe
SF Aaron Wiggins
PF K. Williams
C J. Williams
MAY NOT PLAY
F A. Caruso Out
F O. Dieng Out
F L. Dort Out
G S. Gilgeous-Alexander Out
C I. Hartenstein Out
C C. Holmgren Out
G J. McCain Out
G A. Mitchell Out
G N. Topic Out
F J. Williams Out
It’s not directly, but Davis immediately got hurt. So Dallas wound up with a much better draft position than they would have had with Doncic. Of course, Kyrie also got hurt and that and some lottery luck is what got Flagg.
The Doncic deal now looks like this. Leaving out all the role players, Dallas got a 2029 LA 1st rounder, Max Christie (who I argued at the time was playing well enough and had enough upside to be worth a 1st rounder) and converted Davis into two 1st rounders and three 2nd rounders despite his value decreasing in Dallas due to constant injury.
Honestly, I may like Dallas’s long term position better now than before. I think Flagg has a very good chance to be a better two-way player than Doncic because Doncic still doesn’t defend. Now if they trade Kyrie and bring in more picks, they have their #1 option a few good young role players and a pile of picks again.
Counting Flagg as part of the package is hilarious. If part of the rationale of the pitifully stupid Luka trade was to tank for better lottery odds, they could’ve simply held onto the vastly superior player in Luka and just not brought him back from injury.
Correct. It’s not like it would have been anything they hadn’t done previously when they tanked a chance at the play-in to keep their (our) draft pick.
If the Bill Simmons trade value podcast is anything to go by we have no chance of getting anything from the Clippers for KAT.
Incidentally he has Randle higher than all Knicks other than Brunson (that seems right to me, too). KAT’s down in the 50s in a group with Zion, Embiid, and AD.
Let’s be thankful today that we are (no longer) the type of team that acquires players with zero intention of playing them (see: Washington Wizards). We tried that with Cam Reddish, albeit for very different reasons, and it sucked.
By the way, I imagine that Boston might regret getting Nikola (“Enes Freedom”) Vucevic to be their starting center.
And the Kings got Panarin from the Rangers, too.
Shams:
If I could get even money I’d still be willing to bet Luka never wins a championship as the #1 option (which is what I predicted when he was first peaking in Dallas). I haven’t see anything yet in his development to change my mind. If he eventually wins one, it will mostly likely be later in his career when he is less ball dominant or if he hooks up with some other underrated star that’s also an elite defender and the REAL reason the team won.
If I could a price from here I’d be willing to bet Flagg does win a championship as #1 option. I’m not sure how big a price would temp me, but I think he’s going to play much better defense than Doncic and a less ego centric ball dominant style on offense. IMO he has the tools and mindset to be a truly great and impactful player.
The Davis trade makes me think KAT has more trade value than we think and Knicks haters in the media are suggesting . At one time, Davis was a much better two-way player when healthy, but he’s older now, couldn’t stay on the court for Dallas at all and hasn’t impacted winning much in 2 years. Towns is fine. He’s just having a tough time this year in this system and not being used well.
The Knicks just don’t want to trade him unless they will improve thsi year and the only way to do that is by getting an elite player like Giannis. That involves more complex deals and possibly OG and/or Mikal which they’d be idiots to do. Towns was always a very good player (and still is) by he’s nowhere close to Giannis.
Well, during the season in which he was traded he was the incumbent #1 option on a Finals team. So there is that, you know.
To me the Wizards trade is about getting asses in seats. Like others were saying, those games looked like a ghost town. And being not just bad but downright hopeless for so long for a non-storied franchise like the Wiz probably has really negative business implications. Trading some of your assets to field a watchable team without too much long-term downside risk to franchise prospects makes the trade make sense, since ultimately what ownership is interested in is ticket sales and brand equity. From a purely basketball perspective, however, the trade does not make sense.
Nooooooooooooooooooooooo 🙁
Hardy or Exum could be perfect buyout candidates as Deuce insurance if the Wiz don’t want them.
I have no interest in buyout candidates DLo or Middleton.
Exum is out for the season
So this is a 3-team trade? Dieng is on OKC last I checked. Not a bad trade for the Bulls. They could still flip Sexton for something.
Yeah, they did it as a favor to Dieng to get him somewhere he could play.
the bulls are like that chinese restaurant next to the waldbaums that is always suspiciously empty. is the entire basketball apparatus just a veneer to disguise a giant one-way tweener guard laundering operation?
Plumlee is getting waived. Maybe we should look into him…
Wow, the Bulls are awful now that I look at their stats. Would be funny if they dumped Donovan and brought Thibs back next year.
Maybe in a vacuum that is true, but the Knicks from a roster perspective can’t trade a 20/12 machine for virtually unplayable balast and two picks the GS in ’30 pick top 20 protected and this years OKC (26-30) with 3 second rounders.
I mean that isn’t nothing, but impractical without functional top 8 rotation players. Bagley with his negative BPM over 7000 NBA minutes is the only thing there remotely playable in a playoff context
Sounds like former Leon Rose client Chris Paul will be waived…
Everyone who gets it trouble on this site says “but my lady likes me!”, instead of, you know, apologizing and thanking the mods for not actually enforcing any of the bans around here.
There was once a poster here who inadvertently said something offensive, immediately apologized and said he didn’t mean it to be offensive at all but understood why people took offense, and we all accepted the apology without hesitation because the poster is a good guy with no record of questionable behavior.
That’s how you do it.
As a hardcore fan of those truly shitty and epically mismanaged Knicks teams, I am feeling some ptsd watching the Wizards….
I did that when I posted about Filipowski’s grooming too flippantly and quickly.
He’s a young version of Jame Harden, except young Harden did some good things on defense. He’s obviously a great scorer and that will win you a lot of games, but imo he may be the most overrated “superstar” player in the NBA right now because other than for short periods he’s a terrible defender and still hasn’t figured out shot selection and ball movement.
I’m not sure anyone on earth can figure out what the Wizards are doing.
And for the moment (literally) Chris Paul is on the Raptors, so there’s that.
From Shams Charania:
The Los Angeles Clippers, Brooklyn Nets and Toronto Raptors have agreed on a multi-team trade sending Chris Paul to the Raptors and Ochai Agbaji, a 2032 Raptors second-rounder and cash to the Nets, sources tell ESPN.
The Raptors will not require Chris Paul to report to the team and could still discuss trades involving him over the next day. Toronto is now out of the tax. Brooklyn picks up an asset and cash to cover Agbaji’s salary. The Clippers clear a roster spot and save $7 million in tax.
Did the Nets just get Agbaji for literally nothing?
Too many opposing team fans in the stands… they panicked! 😀
This is what I hate to see:
I was just over at a Wizards blog and some people love the Davis trade and others hate but on balance they like it. The assumption is that Davis’s value is extremely depressed post trade to Dallas (true but for good reason), an Alex Sarr and Davis front court will be terrific defensively and a Young and Tre Johnson backcourt will score boatloads from 3. Even if all that comes to pass I don’t see the path to contention unless they hit a grandslam in the draft this year.
Speaking of grooming, that Wiz coach looked like he hadn’t slept — or showered — in like two weeks. Poor guy, I don’t think things will be looking up anytime soon.
Doogie crush Jock Landale traded again, this time to Atlanta for cash.
I don’t know this guy, but this make sense.
It’s also interesting because I think Kyrie would come back this year to play if he was on a contender much like Tatum.
I like Landale for us a lot, as well.
Wizards could be decent, but you’d be betting on Davis being healthy
@Geo I’m doing well sir, thanks for asking. They are asking a lot more from me at work these days, so I’m pretty much relegated to lurking, but i still read the blog regularly. Also, their is so much going on in the world, it makes hoops feel kind of insignificant. Hope you’re doing well.
The whole trade for a player and sit him to tank more is becoming a bit much.
I suspect that “the stuff going on in the world” is all the more reason why many of us are even more drawn to the NBA right now.
“The whole trade for a player and sit him to tank more is becoming a bit much.”
The whole trade for a known *injured* player and sit him to tank more is becoming a bit much. (FIFY) Acquiring these injured players is just becoming a new way of sanctioned tanking.
The first 10,000 fans at the Wizards game last night received a “DMV” cap “designed by AJ Johnson.” And the next day he’s no longer on the team. Hilarious, actually.
I hear you Doogie, but it’s pretty painful for me to watch.
Collier with 22 assists last night? Geezus.
If only Day’Ron Sharpe could take/make any 3s at all.
It’s OK with me if Miami rips their team apart to become injured Giannis plus scrubs.
According to Jake Fischer, the Knicks spoke to Washington about a deal for Karl-Anthony Towns that was similar to the Davis deal. That’s pretty bitchy to put that out there rn.
I like Garza even more than I like Landale (17 and 9 per 36, 59/48/80 shooting splits). Only makes $2.5M. Or Patrick Williams off the Bulls bench.
awwwww, thanks for asking g-man…
was gonna head up to see my friend monday, but it was sort of a last minute thing, my nerves got shaky though and just couldn’t make it happen – so now i’m at home in bed alone wishing I was at my friend’s and in bed with her…
who could have ever guessed cuddling could be so nice, definitely late to the game on that one…
I am getting better though at making smarter health decisions, so that’s a good thing…
sorry to hear of the work pressure stuff, I still remember back working and wishing all the time for a heart attack or something that would sideline me for a month or so just so i could catch my breath…probably didn’t help that I almost never took a vacation or would wait until the very end of the year to use any accrued sick time…
ha, used to think i was soooooo critical to the company’s operation…shallow ego stroke was really all it was…
hopefully you’re able to do something you enjoy, or it pays well, or you’re helping people…
not sure if this recent serious challenge with your health is a unique thing for you, hopefully though you now have an increased focus on maintaining your health…
thankful now my main concerns are simply health and family…few years ago that was most certainly not the case…
wish I knew what I know now when I was a younger man 😳
Women can do that to you if they’re the wrong women.
Hooters likely has the best chicken wings on average.
Are they even still open?
Changed my mind about Patrick Williams. Not very big.
It’s a choice between Twin Peaks and Hooters out here in Baton Rouge.
ha, when I think of “the world”, unfortunately i often only think of people...
gotta remind myself it’s way more than that…
I know I’m taking the ridiculous bait, but Luka is only overrated if the consensus of ball-knowers is that he’s a top 3 NBA player instead of, say, a consensus top 10 NBA player by the lights of ball-knowers. I think he’s decidedly not a consensus top 3 player, since the top 3 consensus is pretty clear to anyone who knows ball. By my lights, for example, he’s a top 6 player, and he’s firmly in “tier 2” of MVP level players:
Tier 1 (far and away the best players in the NBA currently)
Jokic
Shai
Giannis
Tier 2 (in descending order)
Wemby
Healthy Kawhi
Luka
Mitchell
Tatum
Ant
Chet?
As it stands, his bad defense did not preclude him taking a woefully underqualified Mavs team on his back to the damn NBA finals.
Where’s Brunson?? Brian, please ban Silky!! LOLOL
shoot doogie, i had to postpone a trip to my ma’s the other day, i’ve canceled on the kids too…doesn’t feel good to do…
forget one day at a time, that’s a little too ambitious, moment to moment…it’s the best thing I can usually do for myself…plan, prepare and try to be super careful about commitment, to anything…
Mo is in tonight; Josh is out. Lonzo Ball is available. Not what we need. Plumlee? Sure; why not?
Thanks, kinda shocking after how badly he turned that ankle…
Confirmed Lineup
PG Jalen Brunson
SG J. Clarkson
SF Mikal Bridges
PF OG Anunoby
C K. Towns
MAY NOT PLAY
F Josh Hart Out
G M. McBride Out
Clarkson gets the start? Yikes. I guess I can see why, but don’t love it.
I’ve been the Jock Landale guy here since he was at St Mary’’s.
Trading for Anthony Davis seems like the definition of insanity but I am just a guy who comments on an early aughts Web 2.0 blog who cares a lot about being the Jock guy.
Jamal Murray is pretty good…
10-second follies!
The last 2 minutes of this quarter have been a crime against basketball.
And an apropos ending to this agonizing quarter.