{"id":402942,"date":"2026-01-09T23:09:08","date_gmt":"2026-01-09T23:09:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/402942\/"},"modified":"2026-01-09T23:09:08","modified_gmt":"2026-01-09T23:09:08","slug":"nba-trade-blockbusters-knicks-broke-the-model","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/402942\/","title":{"rendered":"NBA Trade Blockbusters: Knicks ‘Broke the Model’"},"content":{"rendered":"

\t\t\t\t\"The\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tGetty\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

The NBA trade season got underway with the deal sending Trae Young to the Wiaards.<\/p>\n

It is impossible not to notice that, in looking at the last two major pieces of NBA<\/a> trade bait who were actually moved, there was something oddly in common. A year ago, Mavericks<\/a> star Luka Doncic<\/a> was dealt to the Lakers<\/a> for Anthony Davis<\/a>, with other moving parts, but L.A. did not send a single draft pick to Dallas in the deal. And this week, Hawks<\/a> star Trae Young<\/a> went to Washington for CJ McCollum<\/a> and Cory Kispert, with, again, no draft capital changing hands.<\/p>\n

This, according to one NBA executive, is the Knicks<\/a>\u2018 fault. \u201cThe Knicks broke the model,\u201d the executive said. \u201cFive picks for your fourth option, teams looked at that and said, \u2018Never again.’\u201d<\/p>\n

It was a tongue-in-cheek response, but he\u2019s referring, of course, to the Knicks\u2019 2024 trade<\/a> with the Nets, which sent out five first-round picks to acquire Mikal Bridges<\/a>, an excellent two-way player but hardly a star in his own right. Bridges has averaged 14.8 points in his career and has never been an All-Star\u2013the price the Knicks paid to get him can be looked back upon as a tipping point.<\/p>\n

There are other factors, of course. The new luxury-tax rules and the additions of hard-capped aprons have put more weight on the value of draft picks\u2013every team needs young, cheap talent that can contribute right away. The Doncic and Young trades show, prying first-round picks in trades is not what it used to be. Thank the Knicks.<\/p>\n

Mavericks Next Up for NBA Trade?<\/p>\n

There will be more deals ahead, of course, and all eyes remain on what happens now in Atlanta. Getting off of Young\u2019s deal was just the start. The interest in Anthony Davis of the Mavericks is very real, and a swap that includes old Mavs friend Kristaps Porzingis<\/a> will be on the table.<\/p>\n

Mavericks fans should not be too concerned, though\u2013any such deal would likely route Porzingis to a third team that would subsequently waive him. If he did find himself directly traded to the Mavs, Dallas would be the team that waives him.<\/p>\n

\"Kristaps<\/p>\n

GettyKristaps Porzingis of the Hawks.<\/p>\n

Celtics Possible Benefit, Heat Possible Blame<\/p>\n

That could be good news for the Celtics<\/a>, who might be willing to gamble on Porzingis and his frequent, mysterious ailments. They\u2019ve done it before, and they know the benefit of getting Porzingis on the floor when healthy. If Porzingis were to be a trade-deadline release, a return to Boston would be high on his list.<\/p>\n

In Miami, some Heat fans are lamenting the fact that Miami was not in on Young<\/a> talks at all, which might feel strange because the team so badly needs a scorer and has so many contracts it would like to offload\u2013perhaps even oft-injured Tyler Herro<\/a>, but certainly Terry Rozier. But the Hawks were interested in players who can help them win this year, and there was nothing Miami had on hand that fit that bill.<\/p>\n

Nets Need a Pick to Make Michael Porter Jr. NBA Trade Bait<\/p>\n

Now, around the league, the question may be what domino falls next in the NBA trade carousel, Davis or Nets<\/a> star Michael Porter<\/a> Jr.? The Bucks<\/a> are among the serious suitors for MPJ though their lack of draft capital might torpedo their chances\u2013we might be past the days of five picks for a player, but the Nets most certainly want one.<\/p>\n

A sneaky team to keep an eye out for in all these discussions is the Pacers<\/a>, who are the worst team in the league and careening toward a high draft pick in a very good draft. But Indiana is also thinking about accumulating pieces for a run in 2026-27, when Tyrese Haliburton<\/a> returns. This was an NBA Finals team a year ago, after all.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n\t\t\tSean Deveney<\/a> is a veteran sports reporter covering the NBA, NFL and MLB for Heavy.com. He has written for Heavy since 2019 and has more than two decades of experience covering the NBA, including 17 years as the lead NBA reporter for the Sporting News. Deveney is the author of 7 nonfiction books, including “Fun City,” “Before Wrigley became Wrigley,” and “Facing Michael Jordan.” More about Sean Deveney<\/a>\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\t\t\tMore Heavy on Bucks\n\t\t<\/p>\n

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