Are Knicks Poised to Benefit From Wizards' Bradley Beal Aftermath?
For their next trick, the Washington Wizards will make a $200 million contract disappear.
That seems to be the franchise's next step, as the nation's capital is involved in one of the first blockbuster deals of the fledgling NBA offseason: ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported that D.C. is set to send longtime scoring sensation Bradly Beal to the desert, getting back Chris Paul, Landry Shamet, and multiple second-round draft choices while also poised for pick swaps.
Beal's 11-year tenure with the Wizards is set to end along with all the trade speculation that frequently accompanied it. But the departure ... along with the relatively meager compensation ... is merely the first chapter in a new American horror story, a lengthy rebuild on capital hardwood that seems guaranteed to extend the Wizards' 44-year conference final appearance drought (the longest active streak in the NBA and third-longest in Association history).
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Naturally, the next question from a metropolitan perspective is how the New York Knicks stand to benefit, particularly in the name of ending their own egregious lack of semifinal appearances (23 years, third to only Washington and the Charlotte Hornets).
For one thing, it's a blessing, and not even a disguised consecration, that the Knicks weren't the ones deemed worthy of Beal waiving his no-trade clause. Yes, a shooter like Beal could've soothed the Knicks' aches from the field but it's better for another championship-crazed and starved team like Phoenix to write the remaining checks and only raise the temperature in an already-scorching "win-now" demand that also features Devin Booker and Kevin Durant.
In a more direct sense, the Knicks are engaged in a situation not unlike the one they dealt with in Dallas this season: in other words, they certainly hope the Beal trade leaves the Wizards cursed, but not in a comically inept fashion.
The Knicks hold Washington's first scheduled pick in the 2024 draft, one that passed through Houston (Russell Westbrook/John Wall deal) and Oklahoma City (Alperen Sengun deal) before landing in Manhattan in the most recent selections. Back then, the Knicks were more interested in building a Jalen Brunson budget, saving at least $3.4 million by trading the 12th choice (Ousmane Dieng) to OKC.
Alas, the Knicks don't immediately benefit from a full-on Washington rebuild: the pick is burdened with top 12 protections in 2024 and the guardianships don't stop there. Washington will also keep the pick if it's in 2025's top 10 or 2026's top eight. If it hasn't transferred by then, the Wizards will send second-round choices in 2026 and 2027 instead.
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Though they're not in a position for roundball schadenfreude, the Knicks can help Washington regain some building blocks by going into their own draft cabinet. Despite owning no picks for Thursday's NBA Draft proceedings, New York has five tradeable first-round choices over the two after that. Those could be used to polish up the roster as the Knicks seek to capitalize on their most successful season in a decade. New York even has an asset of great interest to Washington, currently holding their 2024 first-round pick originally dealt in the John Wall/Russell Westbrook swap. It's laden with protections (including top 12 in 2024) but the Wizards could use all the assets they can get as they prepare for life without Beal.
But the trade block in Washington is relatively slim, especially from a Knicks perspective.
The idea of a reunion with Kristaps Porzingis should only grow more popular upon the Wizards' deconstruction, but reeks of a move fueled primarily by nostalgia. At a $36 million player option, it'd be an expensive reunion. Kyle Kuzma could be dealt or acquired (all but poised to reject a $13 million player option of his own) though he'd be an expensive piece to cram into a system and rotation that doesn't have a spot for him.
The Wizards did remarkably well on the defensive glass (fifth in the Association) but they might want to keep players like Deni Avdija around for the rebuild process. That also goes for another young first-round choice in Corey Kispert, who could help the Knicks' well-documented three-point shooting woes. Adding Monté Morris might've made sense last season but would feel redundant upon the breakouts of Jalen Brunson and Immanuel Quickley.
Fortunately for the Knicks, there are plenty of avenues to improve over the offseason beyond the nation's capital. Equally potent risks are involved, but they avoided the Beal conundrum, continuing the path of healthy restraint that guided them to their most successful season in a decade last year.
Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags
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