NBA Trade Rumors: New York Knicks remain interested in Jeff Teague despite lack of assets

Jeff Teague remains one of the most interesting names on the trade market, and the New York Knicks reportedly remain interested in acquiring the former All-Star point guard.

Ian Begley of ESPN New York brings word that the Knicks continue to call the Atlanta Hawks with regard to Teague, even in the absence of any real assets to entice Mike Budenholzer and Wes Wilcox into action. Begley quotes a source in referencing New York's utter lack of available pieces to acquire Teague, but New York remains one of the teams that is most frequently mentioned in the Teague sweepstakes.

In addition, Brian Windhorst and Marc Stein of ESPN mentioned that the Knicks have dangled veteran point guard Jose Calderon (who makes $7.7 million this season in comparison to $8 million for Teague) and young big man Kyle O'Quinn (who is on a very reasonable contract) as trade fodder. Needless to say, a combination centered on those two players would not thrill anyone in relation to the Hawks, and New York's only discernible "assets" are virtually untouchable in the form of Kristaps Porzingis and Carmelo Anthony.

Depending on the desperation of the Hawks front office to move Teague and the amount of suitors pursuing the now 27-year-old point guard, the Knicks could find themselves in a "last team standing" situation that could make their package more interesting. However, only Jerian Grant (who the Knicks selected with a former Hawks first-round pick in 2015) is seen around the league as a real and movable asset on New York's roster, and there is no public indication that he has been offered by New York or that Atlanta would be interested.

At this stage, the Knicks appear to be swinging wildly, but unless a third team gets involved, it is virtually impossible to see a reasonable trade that would send Jeff Teague to New York and improve the Atlanta Hawks in the short or long term.