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The Knicks should make Clyde’s dream come true by trading for Ish Smith

Could Clyde’s favorite player be headed to New York?

NBA: Charlotte Hornets at New York Knicks Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

I’ve been trying to write something about Saturday night’s soul-crushing overtime loss to the Lakers. Maybe I’ll do it later — right now, the pain is still too fresh. However, I would like to leave my fellow Knicks fans with a few encouraging thoughts. I saw this rumor on Twitter Saturday, and it immediately made me smile.

Now, do I know if this rumor is legit? Absolutely not. But my heart wants it to be true. More than the De’Aaron Fox or CJ McCollum rumors we Knicks fans have mostly been conjuring out of thin air, I now want the Knicks to trade for Charlotte Hornets point guard Ish Smith. Why, you ask? Because of this gentleman:

Walt “Clyde” Frazier is now 76 years old. I hate to alarm you, but I doubt he’ll be calling Knicks games for much longer. Yet, once again, the Knicks are mired in mediocrity, and our beloved grandpa Clyde has to wade through the muck of 2021-22 Knicks basketball on a near-nightly basis. It’s not fair. The man deserves better.

So what does this have to do with Ish Smith, a 33-year-old journeyman PG who is on his 13th NBA team? Dude is averaging 4.7 points per game on 40.4% shooting. How the hell is he supposed to make the Knicks competitive again?

Nah, it ain’t about that. I highly doubt there’s a trade out there that will rocket the Knicks back into playoff contention. It’s about our man Clyde, and his love for Ish Smith. Real MSG broadcast heads will tell you that Clyde has been gushing over Smith’s PG play for like a decade now. I don’t know if Clyde has a son, but if he doesn’t, Ish Smith has been the next best thing.

The Knicks organization owes a tremendous debt to Clyde. He’s responsible for the franchise’s only two NBA titles, and he has been drawing fans to MSG for half a century. It’s time the Knicks repaid him for his services. Bring Ish Smith to the Knicks. Let Clyde take pride in watching him play for the orange and blue — dishing and swishing, spinning and winning, and all that jazz. Give the old man a thrill.