Grade the Trade: Mavericks pull off unexpected draft day move with Knicks

Grading the trade for the New York Knicks

The Knicks have plenty of depth thanks to their pick getting Ariel Hukporti. Their big-man depth has already been established over the past couple of years with Mitchell Robinson and Isaiah Hartenstein as their bigs.

Hukporti could be a raw but developed player in the leagues if held properly. There have been reports on if Hartenstein will even be re-signed by the Knicks, as he could even sign elsewhere considering he's an unrestricted free agent. Anything is possible with the Knicks, especially after getting another Villanova guy in Bridges.

In regard to the Knicks, the Mavericks and Knicks are not new in terms of trading players with each other over the years, including just recently. There have been rumors linked to former Knicks guard, Quentin Grimes who now has a spot for the Detroit Pistons.

Grimes may have a spot on the Mavericks if a trade is made, which was somewhat expected on day two of the NBA Draft if Tim Hardaway Jr. was traded. While Mavs fans were expecting a trade, it was not the one they expected. Dallas traded up in the draft rather than making the seemingly inevitable move of trading away their long-time-tenured sharpshooter.

In terms of Hukporti, he could have a spot on the Knicks roster if Robinson or Hartenstein were to go down. That's happened plenty of times, so don't be surprised if head coach Tom Thibodeau calls his number early in the year.