The Knicks, continuing their massive rebuild, agreed to trade their best player, Marcus Morris, to the Clippers in a three-team deal Thursday for multiple draft picks and Moe Harkless’ contract.
The key was netting the Clippers’ 2020 first-rounder, which will be located in the high 20s. They also gained the Clippers’ 2021 second-round pick (via the Pistons).
In what could be two moot points, the Knicks also get the right to swap first-round picks with the Clippers in 2021 and the rights to Issuf Sanon, Washington’s second-round stash pick in 2018 who plays in Ukraine and is not expected to ever play in the NBA.
Sanon was added because the Wizards needed a contribution to the Knicks. In addition to Morris, the Clippers will receive Isaiah Thomas, while the Wizards landed Jerome Robinson in the trade-deadline deal.
The Knicks now have seven first-round picks across the next four years. That collection of assets puts them in position to make a future trade for a disgruntled superstar. Minnesota’s Karl-Anthony Towns could be a future target, The Post has reported.
The Knicks had wanted Landry Shamet and a first-rounder, but the Clippers took the young shooting guard off the table.
The Knicks also turned down one proposed offer that included 2019 first-round pick Mfiondu Kabengele and second-round pick Terance Mann because the Knicks didn’t want to have to cut players on their roster to make room. Kabengele, a 3-point shooting big man, has appeared in just 10 games.
Harkless was added to the deal to make the cap work. The former St. John’s star from Queens is expected to be in Detroit when the Knicks play Saturday. Sources indicated if Harkless, who is in his eighth season, wanted to go to a contender, the Knicks would accomodate him.
The firing of Knicks president Steve Mills changed the team’s focus on dealing Morris for prospects. Mills was more inclined to keep Morris unless he got a whopping offer and try to re-sign their clutch No. 1 option who was shooting 43.9 percent from beyond the 3-point arc.
“Thank You NewYork!,” Morris tweeted shortly after Thursday’s 3 p.m. trade deadline. “Nothing but love on this side!”
The Knicks also attempted to nab D’Angelo Russell in a blockbuster that would have included Frank Ntilikina, but the Warriors guard was dealt to Minnesota.
“We’ll definitely miss him,” Ntilikina said of Morris. “He was a great player and great leader. He was helping us in the locker room, the young guys. This is the business. I wish him the best of luck with the new team.’’
Asked if he was concerned about the Russell rumors, Ntilikina said, “It’s really not what I was focusing on. The trade, the rumors, that’s what you sign up for when you get in the league. You got to control what you can control.’’
The Knicks, 15-36 entering Thursday’s game against Orlando, will be hard-pressed to win games without Morris and probably will resort to tank mode as they gear up for another draft lottery. Interim coach Mike Miller seemed to campaign to keep Morris, citing his locker-room leadership. Miller was not allowed to comment on Morris pregame because the trade had yet to be approved by the league.
As far as the tumultuous season that has seen Mills and David Fizdale fired and the team’s best player traded for picks, Ntilikina said, “It’s been a lot, a lot going on, a lot of adversity. But adversity helps you grow up and builds character.”
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