NBA Trade Rumors (Photo : REUTERS)
The New York Knicks have formed a rock solid core group with the acquisition of shooting guard Arron Afflalo and center Robin Lopez through free-agency.
Fourth overall pick Kristaps Porzingis is also expected to eventually move into the starting lineup at some point next season, while Derrick Williams, Langston Galloway and Kevin Seraphin provide some firepower off their bench.
Yet, sources close to situation reported about the Knicks' lack of confidence in their current backcourt, particularly at the point guard position. Veteran playmaker Jose Calderon is projected to start next season, while first-round pick Jerian Grant will likely back him up along with Galloway.
The Knicks front-office headed by President of Basketball Operation Phil Jackson isn't sold on Calderon to be their main playmaker, and this particular issue led NBA analysts to think the Knicks are cooking up a potential trade to upgrade the point guard spot.
With less than a month left before the start of training camp, it would be hard for the Knicks to pick up a quality floor general off an almost exhausted free-agency pool or even international players on a stash. However, there are few trade options the Knicks may consider to explore, and there are actually insiders reports supporting that. It's time to play fact or fiction.
Brandon Jennings to Knicks?: Coming off an Achilles Heel injury, Brandon Jennings will return to training camp no longer the first choice to start at point guard spot. The Detroit Pistons made a significant mid-season move by trading for Reggie Jackson, who signed a five-year, $80 million extension four months later.
According to analyst, Jennings could soon hit the trading block once Jackson establishes himself as a legit starter in Detroit. The former first-round pick will be entering the final year of his current deal, and he may need more playing time to boost his free-agency stock.
The Knicks should be an ideal destination for Jennings largely because he will get a chance to start there, not to mention his skills-set really fits the characteristics of an ideal playmaker in a triangle offense. Moreover, trading for Jennings now won't be that hard as it may only need solid veteran like Calderon and draft picks to woe the Pistons. Believe it or not, there's really a high possibility this trade scenario to go down before or during the season. For that, it's a Fact.
Big Three in Big Apple? Durant-Kobe-Melo Connection: One of the most intriguing rumors out there is about the Knicks' alleged ambitious plot to form a core group consists of Carmelo Anthony, Kevin Durant and Kobe Bryant in 2016.
No other than ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith started this new hoops hoopla, driving championship-hungry Knicks fans to extreme ecstasy as they await that day when three of the best scorers in this generation team up in New York.
Wait something's wrong here. Three Alpha-dogs, volume shooting players sharing the floor at the same time? You've got to be kidding me! While it might be true that Anthony is already doing extra work recruiting these players, it's still a long shot for Durant and Bryant, who stressed he bleeds purple and gold forever, to go all in on this plan. For now, I will shoot down this trade prospect (Fiction), but hey this is the NBA. Anything can happen.
