The Knicks may end up benefiting without lifting a finger if the Kawhi Leonard deal between the Raptors and Clippers falls apart.
Toronto’s massive trade package for Leonard - Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick, two unprotected first-round picks, a first-round pick swap, and two second-round picks - is on pause while the league investigates LA’s alleged cap circumvention scandal. If that probe drags the deal down entirely, the fallout could leave the Raptors in a tricky spot with Ingram.
That’s where New York’s quiet advantage comes in. Toronto didn’t give up that much just to add Leonard for a season; the move was about chasing another championship run with him. If the trade gets voided, the Raptors would lose the chance to build around Leonard and instead be left trying to sort out what comes next with Ingram.
And that’s not a clean situation. Unless Toronto finds another trade for BI - and the source material says they could do that - the team would be stuck in the awkward position of trying to convince him he belongs while also needing him to play well enough to make that matter. That kind of tension doesn’t help a team trying to climb back into the East race.
The Raptors would also slide back toward the middle of the pack without Leonard, even with his injury concerns. With him, they’d be a much bigger threat to the Knicks. Without him, they’re more of an afterthought, and the Ingram situation only adds to the uncertainty.
The article points to a recent example in Boston, where the Celtics’ situation with Jaylen Brown got messy after they offered him to Milwaukee in a deal for Giannis Antetokounmpo. That move didn’t land the way they hoped and eventually led to Brown being sent to the Sixers. The bigger issue wasn’t just roster movement - it was the possibility that the relationship had already been damaged.
That same kind of problem could hang over Toronto if Ingram stays. For the Raptors to have any real shot at becoming one of the top teams in the East, they’d need him fully bought in. But if he’s left wondering whether he’s truly wanted, that becomes a hard thing to smooth over.
For now, the bottom line is simple: New York still sits as the best team in the East. And if the Leonard deal collapses, the Knicks could benefit from the Raptors’ mess without changing a thing.
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There was also the loss of Ariel Hukporti to the Philadelphia 76ers, who were able to top his minimum contract by $1 million. Taken together, the moves suggest the Knicks have been working the margins for frontcourt depth rather than clearing space for a major addition, even as the final roster spot has become part of a much bigger conversation around how aggressive they can still be. [Read more 🡒]
Knicks May Soon Face A Tough Call On One Rising Guard
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The tricky part is that value cuts both ways. With the Knicks already staring at future financial pressure and extensions looming for key pieces, every movable contract starts to matter more, and McBride is the kind of player rival teams notice. For a club trying to keep its core intact while staying flexible, a rising guard with real market appeal can quickly become part of a tougher conversation than his play alone would suggest. [Read more 🡒]