We should have seen this coming.
In 2022, the New York Knicks swung a minor trade that seemingly signaled a larger scheme. About a month ahead of the trade deadline, they acquired Cam Reddish from the Atlanta Hawks to pair him with his former Duke teammate and then-Knicks guard R.J. Barrett. People around the league (including yours truly) wondered if this was the move before the move. That is, to eventually lure Zion Williamson to New York and complete the Duke triumvirate that won the ACC championship and eventually reached the Elite 8 of the NCAA tournament in 2019.