In the summer of 2019, Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving passed up on joining the Knicks for the Brooklyn Nets. At that time, the Knicks were simply not seen as a desirable place to play. This summer, Marcus Smart passed up on joining the Knicks for a much different reason: concern about the lack of potential playing time. It is the latest reminder of just how far the Knicks have come.
Knicks had checked in on Marcus Smart but my understanding is he desired a spot with a clearer path to playing time.
Smart is reportedly headed to the Lakers after agreeing to a buyout with the Wizards— Stefan Bondy (@SbondyNBA) July 19, 2025Now, to be clear, I am not suggesting that Smart is close to the talent that Durant or Irving were back in 2019, or even close to the talent that they are today.