NBA Trade Rumors: Knicks Thinking Of First-Round Pick Exchange For Morris

The New York Knicks are falling apart again, and now critics feel an NBA trade is coming. They do have a lot of assets that could be of interest to other teams, particularly the ones beefing up for the postseason wars. One guy most feel will be moved is Marcus Morris.

Of course, landing Morris will not be spared from negativity. Most know how he spurned the San Antonio Spurs in the offseason, a case filled with misunderstanding. Either way, the Spurs are not expected to be one of the teams interested in the 30-year-old big man.

Despite that forgettable episode, there are plenty of other teams who could pull the trade trigger for Morris. In exchange, the Knicks could land a late-first rounder -- aligning well with the team's youth movement, SNY.tv reported.

“Teams love his leadership and he’s been shooting incredibly well," a representative for one Eastern Conference team said. "You can easily see them getting a late first-round pick for him if that team feels Marcus pushes them over the top."

With that said, multiple teams could use someone like Morris. The 14th pick of the 2011 NBA Draft will likely be eager to see since it gives him a chance to join a contender. Teams like the Los Angeles Lakers or Los Angeles Clippers could be possible suitors. If not future picks, some of their current young and underutilized stars could be dangled.

For example, one player struggling to blend in with the Lakers run is Kyle Kuzma. The lone remnant of the Lakers' young core has not exactly made an impact so upgrading to a veteran could be interesting. But the big question is whether the Lakers need him.

The Clippers could offer someone like Maurice Harkless, a 3-and-D player who would fit in perfectly with the Knicks. To sweeten the pot, players like Jerome Robinson and/or Ignas Brazdeikis could be added to cross out salary requirements.

Aside from Morris, the names of Julius Randle, Taj Gibson, Bobby Portis, and Dennis Smith Jr. have been mentioned in the rumor mill. The bottom line is that the Knicks are in rebuild mode again and hopefully now they get the right group together for next NBA season.