New York Knicks president Phil Jackson, who's been unsuccessful in trading guards Iman Shumpert and J.R. Smith, reportedly now is trying to move guards Wayne Ellington and Pablo Prigioni together in a packaged deal. Jackson wants to bolster his frontcourt before training camp by thinning out his guard rotation, according to multiple reports.
Jackson's efforts to reshape the Knicks roster haven't yet worked out. His shopping of Shumpert and Smith hasn't yielded any results, leading him to try shopping Ellington, whom Jackson reportedly doesn't believe can be traded without including Prigioni in the deal.
"I'm told they're trying to find a new home for Pablo Prigioni as well as Wayne Ellington to create roster room," Stein tweeted Tuesday night. "... Attempts to move Ellington solo have been unsuccessful, so Knicks said to be weighing prospect of attaching Prigioni to deal as a catalyst. ... NOT a case of Knicks not liking Prigioni. It's more NYK being unable to move Ellington unless they attach likes of Prigioni or Shane Larkin."
Ellington played in only 45 games last season for the Dallas Mavericks averaged 3.2 points; Prigioni averaged 3.8 points and 3.5 assists in just over 19 minutes per game last season for New York.
Jackson needs to improve his frontcourt, but he has to move pieces around in his loaded backcourt to do so. Shumpert, a standout perimeter defender, purportedly has some teams interested - such as the Cleveland Cavaliers - but unwilling to spend big. Smith, who had a poor season in 2013, is a difficult sell to teams because of his pricey contract and behavioral issues.
