Stephen A. Smith Proposes Damian Lillard Trade for Knicks
ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith is renowned for his enthusiasm when it comes to discussing the hottest topics in sports. However, the "blasphemous" phrases he uses on the show "First Take" come out most frequently when he discusses the New York Knicks.
Even with no draft picks, the Knicks have had quite the offseason: they traded power forward Obi Toppin to the Indiana Pacers, signed Golden State Warriors shooting guard Donte DiVincenzo, and successfully convinced Josh Hart to enact his $12.9 million player option. On top of it all, they've been searching for an All-Star caliber player to trade for. They have several picks and talented players that other teams would starve for, but nothing has ensued.
One of those All-Stars in the trade market is Portland Trail Blazers point guard Damian Lillard. When he requested a trade on July 1, the Knicks were among several teams that could potentially go after him. But it appears the Miami Heat are closest to acquiring the seven-time All-Star.
With that being said, Smith made his pitch for Lillard to come to the Big Apple on Tuesday, starting with the arena itself.
"(Madison Square) Garden is one of the most prestigious venues in the world," Smith said. "Now, if you look at the New York Knicks, just imagine ... When you're pulling up from half court and telling New York City 'Dame time! Dame Time!' Imagine how that would go over in the Mecca that is New York City."
It's very rare that an NBA team features two point guards, let alone two players under 6-foot-3 sharing the floor However, Smith nonetheless believes the Knicks would benefit from having Jalen Brunson and Lillard sharing the backcourt.
"(Jalen Brunson) with the ball in his hands is something special," Smith said. "Obviously, he's an elite point guard and he's shown himself to be that way. He's poised, and more importantly, he produces under pressure."
Smith continued his attempt to deter Lillard from the Heat by mentioning all the draft picks the Knicks saved up during their failed pursuit of Donovan Mitchell last summer. He then proceeded to build an offer that the Heat "can't afford to do."
"The Knicks could afford to give up three or four of their draft picks, plus RJ Barrett, Evan Fournier, or even Quentin Grimes and Immanuel Quickley."
As the offseason begins to reach a dead period, a Lillard trade will undoubtedly shake the market if and when it's enacted. Only time will tell if the Knicks are the ones who make the call.
You can follow Hunter De Siver on Twitter @HunterDeSiver.
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