Not to be a party pooper, but Nick is one of the few friends that we have in the media. Doesn't make his opinion less valuable. It only means it could be a bit biased towards the Rockets.
Then he can buy them out without having to pay them the full amount of their remaining contracts. If he says he wants to keep them, then it puts the pressure on them to request a buyout and take less than full value in that buyout if they want to leave.
Imagine Dennis smith Jr, Wes Matthews & Deandre playing just well enough for them to lose out on Zion
Exactly. Theoretically they can both still be moved for an asset. They ask for a buyout he will grant them that and ask for them to sacrifice some money. Win-win. NO WAY they deny a request tho with their lofty off season free agency goals.
Since both are expiring deals, I think the Knicks will be able to find trade partners by next Thursday.
Problem is that with high salaries like those it would be hard to deal them to a contender (only teams that would be interested) without taking money back beyond this year. What contender has 18 million or so in expiring contracts they could deal off for these guys PLUS willing to give up a pick?