NBA Rumors: Knicks Explored Trading Julius Randle, Dennis Smith Jr, And Draft Pick For Terry Rozier
Since the 2019 NBA offseason, the New York Knicks have been finding ways to upgrade their point guard position. One of the players that they aggressively pursued last summer was former No. 16 overall pick Terry Rozier. Unfortunately, though Rozier admitted that he’s interested in playing in New York, he still ended up signing with a different team, the Charlotte Hornets, in 2019.
According to Ian Begley of SportsNet New York, the Knicks tried to acquire Rozier once again before the 2020 February NBA trade deadline by offering a trade package that included Julius Randle, Dennis Smith Jr., and a future first-round pick to the Hornets.
“But prior to the news of the Rose hire, there was strong support in some corners of the organization to try to acquire Charlotte guard Terry Rozier, per sources. The framework of one deal that had internal support sent Julius Randle, Smith Jr. and a future first-round pick to Charlotte for a package that included Rozier and Malik Monk, per sources. It’s unknown what else would have been in the deal and how close — if at all — it came to fruition. Also unknown is Charlotte’s interest level in executing that trade.”
Begley did not provide any further details on why the trade negotiation between the Knicks and the Hornets involving Rozier failed to materialize. However, their decision to reject the Knicks’ offer showed how much the Hornets value Rozier. The 26-year-old point guard may be unable to turn things around for the Hornets in the 2019-20 season, but they still considered him as the point guard that would lead them to title contention.
Though the Hornets are currently out of the playoff race, Rozier has managed to live up to expectations from the three-year, $56.7 million contract he signed with the team. In the first 63 games he played as a Hornet, Rozier has been posting incredible numbers, averaging 18.0 points, 4.4 rebounds, 4.1 assists, and 1.0 steal, while shooting 42.3 percent from the field and 40.7 percent from beyond the arc.
Though it remains unknown whether the Knicks have already given up on adding Rozier to their roster or not, they are still highly expected to continue seeking backcourt upgrades this summer. Like the previous offseason, the Knicks will be entering the summer of 2020 with enough salary cap space to go after quality players in the free agency market and a plethora of trade assets to engage in a blockbuster deal. Some of their potential targets in the trade and free agency market include Chris Paul of the Oklahoma City Thunder and Fred VanVleet of the Toronto Raptors.
