NBA Rumors: Knicks Landing RJ Barrett Could Be Temporary

R.J. Barrett is one of the top three players expected to be selected at the 2019 NBA Draft and the 18-year-old Canadian could end up with the Knicks. If that happens, it would be a dream come true. However, there is a chance that Gotham may only be a temporary stop as New York studies its options.

One of those options is to trade away Barrett. It is no secret the Knicks are aggressively trying to exhaust all options this summer. A second choice for Barrett would be to play for the Lakers, ironically the team that would be picking at fourth, The New York Post reported. From here, there are plenty of scenarios to consider if the Knicks are not bent on keeping Barrett if Williamson and Morant are presumably picked by the New Orleans Pelicans and the Memphis Grizzlies as forecasted.

Assuming all things go as planned, Barrett could end up with the Lakers and become yet another young player in the mix, Lakers Nation reported. The main prerogative for the purple and gold is to get another NBA star with the names of Kyrie Irving and Jimmy Butler leading the list. Barrett is another forward the Lakers could consider, especially with Brandon Ingram still out due to injury. He is likely to come off the bench and his playing time depends largely on how well he can adapt to the system of new Lakers head coach Frank Vogel.

If no deal ensues, the best the Lakers can do with their fourth overall selection privilege is to skim down further the draft. There are other names to consider such as Darius Garland and Jarrett Culver who could fit in well with the Lakers although they are likely to ride the bench more unless they come up with something special. There is also the possibility that whoever the Lakers pick could be included in a potential trade for the superstar they are looking for.

One name that the Lakers are pursuing is Anthony Davis. But it seems that this intent has hit another major stumbling block as the Pelicans remain firm of not sending the 26-year-old center to Hollywood. Team owner Gayle Benson said that the only way that deal can happen is over her dead body - clearly, a strong statement that the Lakers may want to divert their free agent search to someone else, ESPN reported.