Damian Lillard being traded to the Milwaukee Bucks is the BEST thing to happen to the New York Knicks since Jalen Brunson came to town.

Think about it. Would Jrue Holiday be on the trade market (for the Knicks) if he was still in Milwaukee?? You can stop thinking about it now. The answer is NO!! For a full recap of the Lillard trade that sent Holiday to the Portland Trail Blazers, click here. Think of this trade as a hockey assist; the pass that set up the pass.

The Knicks have struggled to attract superstars in free agency, so they should jump at the opportunity to acquire one of the best two-way guards in the NBA. Maybe it’s me, but the early opposition to a Holiday-Knicks trade are actually the reasons they SHOULD trade for Holiday. Allow me to line them up, and promptly knock them down:

1 – Jrue Holiday has a player option following the 2023-2024 season (for 37.4 million dollars), so he’s essentially a rental.

This is a good thing. It will require less valuable/long-term assets to acquire him.

2 – Jrue Holiday is 33 years old.

Again, a good thing. How long has it been since the Knicks had an adult in the room?? A mature, battle-tested veteran is just what this young, unproven Knicks roster needs.

3 – This move doesn’t make the Knicks legitimate contenders.

I promised my parents (and my editors) I wouldn’t say bad words, so…

Sure, ONLY trading for Holiday might not make the Knicks favorites to win the NBA Championship, but believe it or not, this isn’t the last trade the Knicks are allowed to make from now until the end of time. A trade for Holiday should be the first of many moves towards building a championship roster.

Now that we’re on the same page, let’s explore a realistic trade that puts Holiday jerseys in Madison Square Garden:

Knicks receive: Jrue Holiday

Trail Blazers receive: Immanuel Quickley, Evan Fournier, Isaiah Hartenstein, 2025 1st round pick (their own), and however many 2nd round picks it takes to close the deal

The Knicks should avoid trading 2024 draft picks if possible, but if it gets a deal done, they should include one (or two) of their four 2024 1st round picks.

You can’t take ‘em with ya!