If there was even a shred of hope for the New York Knicks acquiring Jimmy Butler in free agency, that ended swiftly Saturday.
The New York Knicks were once linked to Jimmy Butler, who listed them as a preferred trade destination in September when he requested a move from the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Brooklyn Nets and Los Angeles Clippers were the other teams mentioned.
On Saturday, none of those three organizations became Butler’s landing spot, as the Philadelphia 76ers sent Dario Saric, Robert Covington, Jerryd Bayless and a 2022 second-round pick to Minnesota for the controversial star, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
The Sixers received a player to slot between Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid, upgrading their position in the Eastern Conference. That’s while Minnesota finally ended their public nightmare.
As for the Knicks, there is no short-term impact. Aside from playing Philadelphia four times in 2018-19 — unless they surge into the playoffs — have nothing to worry about.
However, part of Wojnarowski’s report included the Sixers and Butler likely agreeing to a new contract next summer. That would remove one of free agency’s biggest names and a potential target for the Knicks.
Whether New York stood a chance at Butler or not, it limits the perceived group of maximum contract players availabe, with Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson, Kyrie Irving and Kawhi Leonard the others.
- Durant plays for the two-time defending champion and may have a third ring on the way in June. Though, the Knicks could make a play for him, anyway.
- Thompson is in the same bost. Nothing has indicated his departure.
- Irving, who still has a player option for 2019-20, said he chose to stick with the Boston Celtics.
- Leonard’s situation will stay in flux until he signs a new deal in July.
Nothing is guaranteed for the Knicks next summer, despite their projected $30-plus million in cap space. If they strike out, that cap space will still go away, as Kristaps Porzingis needs his own max deal, too, for five years, $153 million.
The market still has eight months to develop, and it will take until 12:01 a.m. ET on July 1, 2019, to show where the Knicks are. For now, it doesn’t seem Butler will be part of that. He has the Eastern Conference stronger and solidifies the Sixers as a long-term threat.
