NBA Power Rankings week 16: OKC Thunder and teams post deadline
. 17-37. Previous: 23rd. New York Knicks. 24. team. 27
New York Knicks:
Offense: (105.2) 27th
Defense: (111.9) 22nd
Net: (minus -6.8) 26th
Results Week 16: (3-1) Won vs. Lost vs. Cavaliers: 139-134 (OT), Magic: 105-103, Pistons: 95-92, Lost vs. Hawks: 135-140 (2OT)
Games Week 17: (1 game) Weds vs Wizards
Only the New York Knicks could out trump the trade deadline with news that had nothing to do with trades!
Who else but the Knicks would fire their President of Basketball Operations two days before the trade deadline? For years fans in the Mecca were pleading for Steve Mills to be fired — but leave it to owner James Dolan to find this moment as the date to do it.
Social media lit up and portions of a Marc Stein article citing “Masai Ujiri watchers” as evidence he was headed to the Mecca. The full article was far less certain and with Ujiri locked in for another full season his departure from a team where he has full autonomy to work for the untrustworthy and meddling Dolan seems far fetched.
Cut to the deadline and Marcus Morris who was deemed untouchable is suddenly headed to the Clippers. At least the Knicks got value for their player unlike certain teams (Pistons/Drummond).
Coming to New York is Mo Harkless bu the more important value is the 2020 first-round draft pick from the Clippers plus the right to swap first-round picks in 2021 plus the PIstons second round 2021 pick conveyed from the Clippers.
Those 2021 picks are a big deal given that’s the year high school players are expected to reenter the draft and subsequently the draft could have ample talent running deep into the second round.