“Teams are more hesitant to flip first-rounders and youngsters for impact performers who, while in their primes, will only get older and more expensive. Walker is a great point guard and top-30 player, and his contract (two years, $24 million remaining) ranks among the best in the league. But he's not Kyrie Irving or Jimmy Butler, and the prospect of paying him near-max money in 2019, when he's 29, will shape the quality of offers while scaring off most rebuilding squads.
In lieu of winning an unwinnable situation, the Hornets should focus on getting off Batum's pact. They owe him $99.1 million, including this season, through 2020-21, and he is most likely immovable without some sweeteners. And incentives don't get much better than top-10 point guards on the right side of 30.”
Charlotte Hornets Receive: PG/SG Ron Baker, C Enes Kanter, SF Doug McDermott, PG Frank Ntilikina
New York Knicks Receive: SG/SF Nicolas Batum, PG Julyan Stone, PG Kemba Walker
If we presume the Knicks are committed to a proper rebuild, then we believe they won't go after Walker.
Ergo, we do not believe they won't go after Walker.
Trying to accelerate what's supposed to be a gradual project would be so Knicks. They've already done it to some extent by signing Tim Hardaway Jr. last July. Never mind the player. Shelling out nearly $71 million for anyone over the age of 23 isn't a harbinger of patience or process.
Give the Knicks an opportunity to acquire a New York native who just so happens to play the position they've been unable to fill for roughly eternity, and they might be all over it.
To be fair, this package could look a lot worse for them. Losing Frank Ntilikina stings something awful, and Doug McDermott has proved to be a nice pickup from the Carmelo Anthony trade. But the Knicks aren't surrendering this year's first, nor are they giving up more than one player who factors heavily into their big picture.
Enes Kanter isn't a building block. His early-season shine has faded along with the teams' playoff hopes. Ron Baker is scrappy, but he's Ron Baker. McDermott would be good to keep around, but he's slated for restricted free agency and potentially a sizable raise.
Footing the bill for Batum has to be the Knicks' trump card. They're giving up a top-eight prospect in his rookie season who plays Walker's position. If the Hornets insist on this year's first or expanding the deal to lop off more salary, the Knicks should walk.
And that's if they even see it fit to talk shop in the first place.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/syndic...ker-could-knicks-or-cavs-make-a-play.amp.html
I want Kemba Walker, but if we take Batum's contract back, holy cow, 2 seasons from now we'd still have 62 million a year invested in Noah, THJ, and Batum. Yikes. No way Mills/Perry take Batum without any options to shed Noah's contract.
