Damian Lillard has been out of the playoffs for less than 24 hours, but the Lillard-to-Knicks rumors have already begun to swirl.
Lillard, who continues to emerge as one of the league’s biggest superstar point guards after another otherworldly performance against the Nuggets in Portland’s first-round loss, is reportedly receiving interest from several teams across the NBA, and the Knicks are one of them, according to ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith.
“Several calls have come their way,” Smith said on “First Take.” “You’ve got a lot of teams, about six or seven, believe they can get their hands on him and believe they’ve got a shot. One of those teams is the Knicks, who are scheduled to have about $75 million in cap space, along with some picks.”
New York, fresh off an unexpected playoff berth and now in possession of an All-Star in Julius Randle and an emerging one in 20-year-old RJ Barrett, finally appear to have some pieces in place to attract a star, which Derrick Rose alluded to on Wednesday night, saying he “thinks there’s a lot of people in the league” that now want to come to the Knicks.
So, with five draft picks over the next three years and plenty of cap space to absorb the $43 million Lillard is owed next season, the Knicks will almost certainly be in the running to make a trade if Lillard is made available, which seems more and more possible after another playoff exit, recent reports of Lillard finally growing frustrated with Portland’s lack of playoff success, and a cryptic Instagram post after the Trailblazers were eliminated.
“How long should I stay dedicated?” Lillard’s post read. “How long til opportunity meet preparation?”
While the Knicks have the picks, cap space and some young talent to pull off a mega-deal to bring in Lillard and the three guaranteed years left on his deal, they will certainly have competition for his services. But it will be an interesting summer as New York looks to finally land a bonafide superstar.
“But also the Clippers, the Miami Heat, and who knows what the Lakers may try to do,” Smith said when listing other teams that have also looked into Lillard already. “Stay tuned.”
Follow Ryan Chichester on Twitter: @ryanchichester1
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