The New York Knicks, whether they realize it or not, are few moves away towards pulling off one of the biggest coups in NBA history, and that's forming a power trio of Russell Westbrook, Kristap Porzingis and Carmelo Anthony.
The Knicks, who are surprisingly doing well despite getting not so optimistic pre-season projections, find themselves in precarious position with regards to the future of their backcourt.
Starting point guard Derrick Rose is set to become an unrestricted free-agent after this season, putting pressure on the Knicks to act on the situation now before the former MVP gets a chance to leave for nothing.
The Knicks have already expressed their desire to engage in contract extension talks with Rose, whom they acquired in a trade with the Chicago Bulls last summer.
However, for the contract negotiation to push through, the Knicks want assurance that Rose can stay healthy for the remainder of the season, given his history of injuries the past few seasons.
The Westbrook Plan!
On the other hand, there's another far intriguing option for the Knicks in case Rose bolts out and leaves over $20M in cap money on the table. And this one requires patience and a lot of trust in the process.
Westbrook, the latest incarnation of triple-double machine Oscar Robertson, will become an unrestricted free-agent after the 2016-17 season.
The leading MVP candidate this year has recently worked out with Porzingis, Mindaugas Kuzminkas and Willy Hernangomez in New York, per SNY.com. Although it's not enough to set the fire on a Westbrook to Knicks trade rumors, the mere thought of him hanging around with Knicks players would only suggest that New York is special to the All-Star.
Of course, the continuous evolution of Porzingis into one of the most dominant big men in the league along with Carmelo Anthony's commitment with the club will be crucial for the Knicks as they attempt to make a run at Westbrook one and half seasons from now.
At 12-9, the Knicks look to be a serious playoff contender in the Eastern Conference this season. A solid playoff campaign will further put the Knicks on the spotlight as an enticing destination for free-agent, including Westbrook.
