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Rumors of Anthony Davis to Knicks could impact 76ers offseason

By Dan Parzych

DALLAS, TEXAS - MARCH 18: Anthony Davis #23 of the New Orleans Pelicans walks off the court against the Dallas Mavericks in the first half at American Airlines Center on March 18, 2019 in Dallas, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
DALLAS, TEXAS - MARCH 18: Anthony Davis #23 of the New Orleans Pelicans walks off the court against the Dallas Mavericks in the first half at American Airlines Center on March 18, 2019 in Dallas, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images) /
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If Anthony Davis ends up on the New York Knicks this offseason, things could get a little more interesting for the Philadelphia 76ers.

While the main focus surrounding the Philadelphia 76ers at the moment continues to be whether Jimmy Butler will eventually receive a max offer from the team, some of the focus deserves to be shifted towards the latest rumors surrounding the New York Knicks and Anthony Davis.

With all due respect to the Knicks, the team hasn’t really been that much of a threat to the Sixers for quite some time, and the fact that New York is coming off a 17-65 season will back that claim up.

However, Philadelphia is the perfect example of how quickly a team can go from being a laughing stock across the league to becoming a legitimate contender since the team has seen a huge difference over the last two seasons with Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid being healthy.

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New York may still have a long way to go from a competitive standpoint in regards to being anywhere near the Sixers level of talent at the moment, but a few key moves, including the possibility of acquiring Davis, could change that during the offseason.

The last few months have seen plenty of rumors surrounding potential trade destinations for Davis since this past season made it clear the star forward is unhappy being on the New Orleans Pelicans at the moment.

As tempting as it will be for the Pelicans to convince Davis to stick around since the team recently landed the top overall pick in the upcoming draft, and is expected to go with Zion Williamson, chances are they will trade him if he fails to sign an extension.

If this turns out to be the case, New York happens to be one of three teams, with the Los Angeles Clippers and Los Angeles Lakers being the other two, Davis would prefer a trade to if this turned out to be the direction both parties ended up taking.

The good news for the Knicks is unlike the Lakers or Clippers, they have an extra advantage heading into the draft with the No. 3 pick that could easily be used in a potential trade for Davis if needed.

Not only would Davis going to New York make things a little more interesting for Philadelphia moving forward as a result of playing in the same division as the Knicks, but would also put additional pressure on the remainder of the offseason.

Early signs point to convincing Butler to return being the top priority for the Sixers this summer, but even they know that’s always easier said than done since the interest will be there as well from numerous other teams.

In a way, if the Knicks were to somehow land Davis through a trade, it would almost put even more pressure on Philadelphia to re-sign Butler just to make sure they are in the best shape possible to compete within the division.

Before basketball fans know it, all of these rumors surrounding Davis will finally come to an end, and even though the Sixers are out of the running for the star forward, they could still be impacted if he ends up on the Knicks.