Philadelphia 76ers Should Trade The No. 10 Pick, Saric To Knicks For Kristaps Porzingis
When you get that taste of winning, it becomes addictive. For the Philadelphia 76ers, the taste has eluded them for the past five seasons. However, after finishing the 2017-18 season with 52 wins and a second-round playoff appearance, the time is now to make sure the good fortunes continue. In order to do so, they must make a few key moves. One of them could begin by trading the 10th pick in the 2018 NBA Draft to the New York Knicks for Kristaps Porzingis.
Fans may balk at this deal especially with the news that Kawhi Leonard wants out of San Antonio. But as I spoke earlier, the Sixers will be better off looking elsewhere for help. For the Knicks, it will give them a fresh start and save face for what could be a terrible offseason for them in 2019. Porzingis is expected to test the free agency waters that summer and could very well leave the Knicks high and dry if they cannot make up any ground in the standings in 2018. While there is talk that Kyrie Irving could find his way to New York, that also hinges on Knicks putting a winning team on the floor.
But let’s just say they don’t. To be fair, even with Kristaps Porzingis healthy last season the team was straddling the fence between average and mediocre at best. Ridding themselves of Porzingis will set the Knicks up for cap space while they will have two top 10 picks in the upcoming draft. To add more intrigue is that the Knicks will also get Dario Saric.
But will the Knicks be willing to part with Porzingis who was selected to his first All-Star game this year for Saric who only averaged just 14.6 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 2.6 assists while shooting 45 percent from the floor? Yes, they should and here’s why. Last season, Porzingis averaged 22.7 points, 6.6 rebounds, 1.2 assists while shooting 44 percent from the floor. While the numbers will favor Porzingis to a degree, both teams will need to think of the advantages a trade of this magnitude will have.
Adding Porzingis to a core that features Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons will give the Philadelphia 76ers that stretch four they need to take pressure off Embiid in the paint. Plus you add in his defensive capabilities to pair with First Team All-Defensive player, Robert Covington, and the Sixers just went to one of the top 3 teams in terms of defense.
For the Knicks, the thought of giving away Porzingis’ numbers will cause some to look at this trade as lopsided. But look again. Porzingis averaged 18.5 shots per game compared to 11.4 for Saric. Their PPG was just eight points apart while Saric took seven fewer shots. Give Dario Saric those same attempts, and this conversation is not as lopsided as the average fan may think. Then you get down to the important part of this deal. Health and money.
In his two seasons in the NBA, Saric has played 159 of 164 games. Porzingis, in his three seasons in the league, has played 186 out of 246. But then you take into account the contracts. Porzingis is set to possibly demand a max contract from the Knicks next summer while Saric is still on his rookie deal, including a club option in 2019 for $3.4 million. After that, he will become an RFA in 2020. This is a win/win for both teams and players.
The Philadelphia 76ers will get a low post threat and the Knicks will get a second Lottery pick, plus a player who could very well average 20+ points and 10 rebounds for the foreseeable future at Madison Square Garden. What Knicks’ fans will wonder is if Porzingis is worth more? No. He’s missed a chunk of his time with injuries and with the real possibility that he may walk out the door in 2019, the New York Knicks must get something in return. Dario Saric and the 10th pick in the draft from the Philadelphia 76ers could be well worth it.
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Mark has been covering Sports and Entertainment for the past six years. His work has been featured on Bleacher Report, ESPN, Fox Sports, Teen Vogue, and many other websites.
