LOS ANGELES — The Knicks face the Clippers twice in their final 20 games, starting with Sunday’s matinee at Staples Center.
The third battle, though, will be lots more important — the clash for Kevin Durant.
Much like the Knicks, the Clippers executed a trade-deadline deal to clear cap space for nearly two max players.
They shipped Tobias Harris, amidst his career year, to the 76ers, essentially for draft picks and opening up enough cap space to at least snare Durant or Kawhi Leonard. The Knicks pulled a similar maneuver when they dumped Kristaps Porzingis.
The Clippers figure to be the Knicks’ stiffest competition in free agency, though Leonard, a forward, is favored to wind up a Clipper since he is from Southern California.
The Clippers have $57.3 million in cap space and can get well past the required $74 million needed to land Leonard and Durant — which would make them a distinct title contender. They can clear an additional $32 million if they move Danilo Gallinari and Lou Williams, who both have trade value.
Either way, owner James Dolan has a rugged matchup against Clippers popular billionaire owner Steve Ballmer, who hired the legendary NBA “logo,’’ Jerry West, as top consultant. Don’t underestimate West’s presence.
“They obviously have a plan that they have in place that they’re trying to do and execute,” Knicks coach David Fizdale said after Saturday’s practice at UCLA. “To their credit, they’ve built a nice, tough team full of guys who understand their role.”
The Clippers’ trade of Harris, whom they decided against re-signing after he turned down an $85 million extension offer, made perfect sense. They do not consider the Long Island product a max player.
The Clips also may not be gung-ho on earning a playoff berth this season, even though they are in the fight for one, standing in seventh place in the West at 35-29. If they add a lottery pick to their mix of talented young players headed by Montrezl Harrell, the Clippers would seem a much more viable destination for KD, especially if it means trumping LeBron James’ Lakers.
If the Clippers don’t make the playoffs and finish in the lottery, the Clippers retain the pick. However, if the Clippers make the playoffs, the lottery-protected first-rounder is delivered to the Celtics.
The Clippers could use Knicks center D’Andre Jordan at this point — even if it’s to help sell Durant on the Clippers.
One of Durant’s best friends, Jordan is now with the Knicks (13-49) and may return Sunday after a three-game absence with a sprained ankle. He’s listed as questionable but Fizdale said he wants to play because of the opponent.
Jordan, who blew off the media after practice, played with 10 seasons the Clippers before bolting for Dallas. Fizdale grew up in Los Angeles and admits he grew up a Lakers’ fan. That’s how it is in LA — the Lakers are to the Clippers what the Knicks are to the Nets. Durant can change that, competing against LeBron in Los Angeles.
“You had to be [a Lakers fan],” said Fizdale, who will have 30 relatives/friends at Staples Center on Sunday. “Basically it was a right of passage, you had to be a Laker fan almost. There were some Clipper teams in there that I really enjoyed watching. Especially when Mark Jackson was here. I used to try to copy him as much as I could.”
Jordan’s return Sunday would add some juice.
“You always want to go play in the places that you once played at,’’ Fizdale said. ‘He had such a profound impact on their success, I think they really love him here. You want to play in front of those fans. But I don’t want him to do it where he hurts himself more.”
Another Knicks-Clippers storyline is Kentucky teammates Kevin Knox and Clippers stud rookie point guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander facing each other for the first time in a regular season game. Averaging 10 points and three assists, Gilgeous-Alexander was picked 11th, Knox ninth.
The Kentuckians haven’t been in touch until Saturday when Knox got a text from his former point guard.
“I keep up with all my college teammates, keep up with stats and highlights,’’ Knox said. “He’s taking control of that team as a point guard. That’s hard to do as a rookie. He’s doing a good job.’’