Luka Lands in New York? Knicks Named 'Top Spot' in Potential Trade

The New York Knicks have already enjoyed the services of a former Dallas Maverick in Jalen Brunson, but a proposed trade has them literally thinking bigger in the form of Luka Donćić.

If the reeling Dallas Mavericks tumble too far down the NBA's Western Conference standings, the New York Knicks would be denied an appetizing draft pick.

But Luka Dončić would be one heck of a consolation prize.

The Mavericks' recent stumbling inspired Bleacher Report to compile a list of "top landing spots" for the Slovenian superstar. New York, which welcomed former Dončić teammate Jalen Brunson over the offseason, is mentioned on that list, thanks to a variety of factors, including Brunson's prescience, the Knicks' cabinet of stockpiled draft picks, and the appearance of the team being the proverbial "one move away" from true contention.

The deal proposed by Andy Bailey would send some of the draft surplus over along with RJ Barrett, Quentin Grimes, and Immanuel Quickley.

"While RJ Barrett's value has certainly gone down this season, Immanuel Quickley's has risen, and the Knicks could try to bring Luka to the game's biggest media market with a package like the ones it offered the (Utah) Jazz for Donovan Mitchell," Bailey writes. "With the Knicks, Luka would be reunited with the second option that he went to the conference finals with Brunson. Plus, he'd have a dynamic rim runner and protector in Mitchell Robinson, assuming Dallas wouldn't insist on him being in the deal too."

Bailey notes that two-time All-Star Julius Randle would likely be the odd man out in this scenario but landing a talent like Dončić would make parting ways a "trivial pursuit." 

Joining the Knicks on the list are the Jazz, the Oklahoma City Thunder, and the winner at the NBA Draft Lottery that lands the top choice in this June's draft. As it stands, the Detroit Pistons have the top odds to land the choice that will presumably be used to select French sensation Victor Wembanyama.

While Bailey acknowledges that Dončić has voiced no inkling of a trade request, the brutal post-All-Star times of the Mavericks (37-40) aren't exactly promising. In addition to losing Brunson, Dallas dealt Dorian Finney-Smith and Spencer Dinwiddie at the trade deadline. The loss of the vital contributors to a surprise run to the Western Conference Finals was part of an effort to land All-Star Kyrie Irving but the Mavericks have gone 9-14 since trading for the former Brooklyn Net on Feb. 6. That streak includes five losses in their past six. 

Entering the penultimate weekend of regular season play, Dallas is the first team out of the Western Conference playoff picture, one game behind Oklahoma City for the fourth and final Play-In berth. Should the Mavericks' 2023 first-round choice land outside the top 10, that pick would transfer to the Knicks as the final part of the Kristaps Porzingis deal from Jan. 2019. Dallas currently has the 11th-best odds to land the top choice. 

Brunson and the current Knicks (44-33) return to action on Friday night against the Cleveland Cavaliers (7:30 p.m. ET, MSG). The Mavericks face the Miami Heat on Saturday (7:30 p.m. ET, Bally Sports Southwest/NBA TV) before a match with the Atlanta Hawks awaits the following night. 

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Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags

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