The countdown is at three days before the NBA trade deadlines is upon us, and one of the most oft-mentioned teams looking to make a deal, the New York Knicks, is again in the forefront of the latest NBA trade rumors.
The Knicks are still looking to make a trade for Toronto Raptors point guard Kyle Lowry, according to ESPN. The Knicks and the Brooklyn Nets were both rumored in connection with Lowry weeks ago, though nothing transpired. But talks have seemingly heated back up again.
The report indicates the Knicks are dangling point guards Raymond Felton and Beno Udrih, who was previously linked to the Washington Wizards and the San Antonio Spurs, as well as swingman Iman Shumpert, who has been mentioned as the center of all the Knicks’ potential deals. The team is unwilling to part ways with rookie Tim Hardaway Jr. or a future first-round draft pick, which is believed to be what the Raptors are looking for.
Lowry was believed to be off the market, but Toronto general manager Masai Ujiri would not rule out trading away the coveted point guard. Ujiri told the Toronto Sun he isn’t trying to send anybody out of town, but he’s willing to entertain offers.
“I’ll be right here (waving his cellphone) waiting and we’ll see what happens,” he said. “I never know what to expect. Sometimes it’s quiet until the last minute. Sometimes it’s busy. As far as our team, I think the team has played well. They have done well with the platform so keep trying to grow.”
According to ESPN’s report, the Knicks have a backup plan. Should the Raptors hold steady on their demands, the Knicks could involve Jeff Teague of the Atlanta Hawks, as the Hawks hold all of their first-round picks for the next four years and could offer that up in a three-way deal. That deal would potentially send Teague to Toronto, Lowry to New York, and Shumpert to Atlanta, or possibly even Teague to New York.
The other New York team possibly making a move at the deadline is the Nets, who reportedly are interested in Jarrett Jack of the Cleveland Cavaliers, ESPN New York reported, in a deal that would likely include Jason Terry
League sources say Nets have interest in Cavs’ Jarrett Jack. One source says Jason Terry for Jack could be a possibility before deadline
— Ohm Youngmisuk (@NotoriousOHM) February 17, 2014
Scout I spoke with today said #Nets could use post defender/athletic rebounder and/or spark plug-scorer a la Nate Robinson. Jack fits latter
— Mike Mazzeo (@MazzESPN) February 17, 2014
The backup point guard was an integral part of the Golden State Warriors’ playoff run a year ago and could do the same for the Nets. Terry is averaging 4.5 points per game and is shooting less than 38 percent from beyond the arc. He will be a free agent after the 2014-15 season.
