Before Bradley Beal was dealt to Phoenix in a blockbuster trade, he had other suitors in New York.
The Knicks were “in heavy for a while” for the Washington All-Star, The Athletic reported Sunday.
The report also mentioned the Heat, Celtics, Bucks and Kings as other teams that made a play or were interested in Beal.
Beal, a three-time All-Star coveted around the league but who carries a gargantuan $251 million contract and a no-trade clause, was dealt to the Phoenix Suns for Chris Paul, Landry Shamet, and a package of second-round draft picks and pick swaps.
The Knicks’ interest in acquiring the prolific shooting guard comes after rumors that the organization was hoping to add a superstar like Joel Embiid to pair with guard Jalen Brunson, who made an enormous impact in his first season in New York.
“They’re not hoping for patience, they’re hoping for The Process. I don’t know if that’s coming, but they’ve looked at that situation in Philly and there’s been a hope in New York that stuff in Philly will go haywire to the point where Embiid will ask out,” ESPN’s Tim MacMahon said on “The Hoop Collective” podcast over three weeks ago.
In Tom Thibodeau’s three seasons at the helm, the Knicks have made the playoffs twice but failed to advance past the conference semifinals.
Last season was their best performance in the Thibodeau era: the Knicks finished 47-35, the most wins since their 2012-13 campaign, and advanced to the conference semis, where they lost to the Heat 4-2.
It’s clear that the Knicks’ four-year, $104 million investment in the 26-year-old Brunson was a shrewd one, as the 6-foot-1 guard just posted a career year, averaging 24 points and 6.2 assists while shooting 41 percent from 3-point range.
Now, the Knicks want to add to the supporting cast around Brunson to build a championship contender in New York.