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New York Knicks: 5 deals that would make them instant contenders

By James Kattato

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 05: DeMar DeRozan #10 of the San Antonio Spurs dribbles in front of Bradley Beal #3 of the Washington Wizards during the first half at Capital One Arena on April 05, 2019 in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 05: DeMar DeRozan #10 of the San Antonio Spurs dribbles in front of Bradley Beal #3 of the Washington Wizards during the first half at Capital One Arena on April 05, 2019 in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) /
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New York Knicks
Bradley Beal, Washington Wizards. New York Knicks. (Photo by Naomi Baker/Getty Images) /

The New York Knicks have had a good offseason up to this point, but there could be a few more deals that put them over the top.

I wrote this in a recent article, I think the New York Knicks are one big piece away from contending again in the NBA. They have a great core of young, talented players with a mix of experienced veterans who can play. What more can you ask for? The only thing that comes to my mind is one blockbuster deal that lands them a star or bundle of players that puts them into an instant spot to win. It won’t be Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, but they could still easily make a move or two and become one of the winners of the 2019 offseason.

Trade for Bradley Beal

It’s rumored that the Washington Wizards are going to offer their All-Star shooting guard Bradley Beal a three year, $111M max deal as soon as they can. It would make much more sense for both the Wiz and the Knicks to make a deal like this instead.

A lot of these proposed trades couldn’t happen until December 15th due to the signings that the Knicks made being included in the trades. With that being said, I think Beal is worth the wait. Think about the return they would get on him even for less than a full season.

Coming off of his best season as a pro, Beal averaged 25.6 points (PPG), 5.5 assists (APG), and 5 rebounds (RPG) while shooting 35 percent from three. The 26-year-old has many weapons in his arsenal and can score from anywhere on the court. The thing that makes this deal interesting for the New York Knicks is that it’ll be the first time that they’ve had an elite scorer since Carmelo Anthony.

He can make things happen via the post, off the dribble, or just as a spot-up shooter. The best part is that Beal still has a few years until he reaches his prime. He has two years left on his current contract so it’s not certain whether or not he’ll have an additional three stamped on there by the time December 15 rolls around. If I’m the Knicks, I’m making this as soon as I can.

Being able to pair him with athletic, paint oriented players like Dennis Smith Jr. and RJ Barrett will allow Beal to sit on the perimeter and get wide-open looks. To be honest, between Barrett, Smith, Julius Randle, and Mitchell Robinson, much of where the Knicks are going to be most effective is driving inside the paint and thriving in a pick and roll offense.

This type of offense will completely open up the lane for Beal and let him along with rookie Ignas Brazdeikis and veteran Wayne Ellington tee off from three-point land. It would be the perfect balance for the Knicks and it should be their top priority going into this season.

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