The Knicks spent years diligently defenestrating bad contracts, collecting young talent, bundling draft picks and hoarding cap space. They endured losing seasons and losing out on stars in free agency. They traded away one homegrown All-Star. They fired one team president and two head coaches. Now, with the team coming off of a surprising and optimistic season, they are in a good place, with a wide-open future and as much flexibility as anyone in the NBA.
So, is it time to blow that up?
“Blow it up,” however, would be too harsh a phrase if it means getting Damian Lillard. Teams don’t blow it up by trading for a perennial MVP candidate in his prime.
But it would be the moment the Knicks trade in the hard, tedious work of the last four years. Getting Lillard would mean parting with a lot. Part with picks. Part with young players. Part with cap space.
