With Omer Asik reportedly off the market for the time being, the trade spotlight shifts to Kyle Lowry. The Toronto Raptors have been looking for potential partners for weeks now and yet nothing has happened. The Raptors want to trade the young guard for draft stock, but it appears their most-likely trade partner has pulled out.
At one point, it appeared the New York Knicks were targeting a trade to get Lowry in exchange for Raymond Felton. The New York guard has been injured lately after suffering a hamstring issue and the Knicks are so bad, growing desperate for some kind of spark. However, the Raptors price tag was too high.
Howard Beck of BleacherReport.com is reporting the deal between the Raptors and Knicks is officially dead despite Toronto's attempts to revive the discussion. The Knicks are refusing any trade that would require them to part with a first-round draft pick. Considering the team does not have one until five or so years from now, the deal is simply not worth it.
As a result, owner James Dolan has blocked this deal from happening and might look to no longer be in business with Toronto ever again. Once again, general manager Masi Ujiri tried to get more than he should in a deal and Dolan is not looking to be the "fool" anymore. ESPN reports the Knicks owner is not a fan of the Raptors general manager after the trade for Carmelo Anthony. Dolan felt he was forced to surrender too much in that trade and is still unhappy with it.
The Knicks are going to be players in the market if they can find the right deal. In the Monday win over the Orlando Magic, both Anthony and Felton left with injuries, leaving the team scrapping for depth. Not to mention, Metta World Peace is also out for the foreseeable future with knee problems.
As of now, Anthony is insisting he will be playing against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday. The forward went down with an ankle sprain during the game and did not return to action. He plans on resting it, but intends to be a starter on Christmas Day.
It is hard to see the Knicks breaking out of their funk any time soon. Even with the return of Tyson Chandler, things are still off.
