Los Angeles Lakers among the winners of NBA Trade Deadline

No. 5: New York Knicks

The Knicks first transaction leading up to the trade deadline was one that left many people scratching their heads. Just hours after star power forward Kristaps Porzingis was lost for the season because of an ACL tear, the team traded center Willy Hernangomez.

Trading the 22-year old center for two second-round picks and Johnny O’Bryant, who was waived before even reporting to the team, was an odd move. However, the pieces acquired in that deal were parlayed into another team.

On deadline day, the Knicks were a part of a three-team deal, also involving the Dallas Mavericks and Denver Nuggets. The Knicks sent Doug McDermott to the Mavericks, who also received Portland’s 2018 second round pick. The Mavericks traded Devin Harris to the Nuggets, who also will receive the worse of the second round picks between theirs and the Clippers. The Knicks received point guard Emmanuel Mudiay.

This is a great trade for the Knicks. Mudiay is someone the Knicks were considering with the No. 4 pick in the 2015 NBA Draft when they selected Porzingis. Mudiay struggled with the Nuggets, but at only 21-years old, there is plenty of untapped potential there.

There are questions about how the Knicks will juggle their suddenly crowded point guard spot, as Mudiay joins Jarrett Jack, Frank Ntilikina, and Trey Burke. Ntilikina has a long to go in his development, especially offensively, so he should be able to play alongside Burke and Mudiay.

Head coach Jeff Hornacek has been dealt crowded point guard depth charts before. He made the most of it in Phoenix, so hopefully, he can work his magic again this time around. It is a worthwhile risk for the Knicks to get Mudiay, while McDermott was heading towards restricted free agency.