© Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports
With the 2017 NBA Draft mere hours away, let's check in on the news circling the drain that is the New York Knicks. There's a lot going on, including Phil Jackson potentially falling asleep on the job, but also somehow working a deal to get a couple lottery picks back for shipping out Kristaps Porzingis, all while team owner James Dolan positions himself to become a basketball Nero.On Tuesday, word surfaced that Jackson was taking calls on potential trades for the one good thing about the franchise, Yung Kristaps. It appeared Jackson was still pretty upset about Porzingis skipping his exit interview at the end of the season, and an interview with MSG last night all but confirmed that this was the case. We've now learned that trade "calls" have progressed to "talks" between the Knicks and the Boston Celtics. Here's the New York Daily News with the latest details of the proposed deal:
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Boston reportedly is not sold on Jackson's reported asking price, but may be willing to make something happen if the ask comes down a bit. As for the Knicks, they certainly wouldn't be giving Kristaps away in the above scenario, but they would be cutting ties with a known and highly-talented quantity. That said, draft picks are valuable, and if Jackson really liked what he saw out of a young prospect, then maybe this sort of move is worth the risk.The problem is, we can't be sure if Jackson saw anything.According to a Knicks source, Jackson is asking for the third overall pick in Thursday's draft as well as next year's Brooklyn pick along with Jaylen Brown and Jae Crowder. This version of the deal would not include Boston taking on Joakim Noah's contract.
So, this is not what we would call "good." The Knicks currently have the No. 8 pick, and could possibly move up to No. 3 if they strike a deal with Boston. Meanwhile, Jackson reportedly fell asleep at a workout for a guy he could be drafting. Everything is fine!Speaking of fine: when the Knicks finally do get around to drafting someone tonight, owner James Dolan will be performing at a local establishment with his band, J.D. and the Straight Shot.
No one is suggesting that James Dolan is a necessary cog in the Draft Night Experience, but as with all things Knicks, his likely absence is the chef-kisses-fingertips moment of a bumbling organization careening further into a ditch than previously believed possible. The basketball expert in charge is openly antagonizing his most important player, attempting to trade him for draft picks he may be ill-equipped to use, and all the while, the big boss man will be noodling with his buddies in a wine bar when everything goes down.And it's not even 4:00 PM yet, who knows what else might happen.