WEST LAFAYETTE, INDIANA - FEBRUARY 20: Jaden Ivey #23 of the Purdue Boilermakers reacts after a play in the game against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at Mackey Arena on February 20, 2022 in West Lafayette, Indiana. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images)

WEST LAFAYETTE, INDIANA - FEBRUARY 20: Jaden Ivey #23 of the Purdue Boilermakers reacts after a play in the game against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at Mackey Arena on February 20, 2022 in West Lafayette, Indiana. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images)

Knicks Draft

3 teams Knicks could make a trade with during the 2022 NBA Draft

by Nathan Smith
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New York Knicks, Julius Randle, Portland Trail Blazers

Julius Randle, New York Knicks. (Photo by Andy Marlin/USA TODAY Sports)

3. The Knicks could trade up for the Trail Blazers’ No. 7 pick

There is reportedly a deal in place for the Trail Blazers to send the No. 7 overall pick to the Pistons for Jerami Grant, and while that makes sense for Portland, the Knicks could put together a package centered around Julius Randle that could be more enticing for the team looking to help Damian Lillard win.

Given the struggles that Randle had in 2021-22, it’s unlikely that the Trail Blazers would take a straight swap here, but throwing in another veteran like Alec Burks, as well as some more picks for the future, could help convince Portland that Randle is Lillard’s missing piece.

The report that the Grant deal is already in place doesn’t help New York, as it means the front office will need to blow the Trail Blazers away with an offer to get them to take on Randle, but given how much the Knicks need Obi Toppin to step into the starting role, it’s something they genuinely need to explore.

At No. 7 overall, New York would be out of the running for Jaden Ivey or Shaedon Sharpe, two of the most sought after and best-fitting prospects for the Knicks. But it would allow them to choose between the likes of AJ Griffin, Johnny Davis, or Bennedict Mathurin, who could all be game-changers in New York’s 2022-23 lineup.

Next: A trade involving the No. 6 pick

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