New York Knicks fans are often chided for living in the past but old enemy Paul Pierce seems trapped in a metropolitan time machine himself.

The Boston Celtics legend called for the Knicks to trade for New Orleans Pelicans star Zion Williamson on the latest episode of the KG Certified web series, hoping New York would make up for lost time.

“If I’m the Knicks, I’m trying to get Zion right now,” Pierce declared to bewildered former Celtics teammates Tony Allen and Kevin Garnett. “You’ve got a lot of cats expendable.”

When the Knicks limped to an NBA-worst record in 2019, many expected them to be in prime position to land Williamson’s services out of Duke at the ensuing draft. New Orleans, however, leapfrogged the Knicks at the draft lottery and took Williamson with the top choice. The Knicks fell to third and chose Williamson’s Durham teammate RJ Barrett.

Since then, the Knicks have stabilized themselves with a new core headlined by Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns. Williamson has shown fleeting flashes of brilliance that have been interrupted by injuries and the Pelicans have tumbled to the bottom of the Western Conference.

Needless to say, Knicks fans aren’t exactly pining for old times and Pierce himself was puzzled when Allen and Garnett asked exactly who he would send south in such a deal.

“You can get rid of Josh Hart,” Pierce bizarrely declared, referencing the Knicks veteran who has been a walking double-double. “What’s the shooter? What’s the shooter’s name?”

Even without a name, as it’s possible Pierce was referring to top bench scorer Miles McBride, Garnett shut the deal down before jokingly suggesting that Pierce include Brunson and/or Towns in the deal.

“You just said you had something for me,” Garnett chided his fellow 2008 champion. “Conversation’s over. The number’s been disconnected!”

Ever sine Williamson donned his Big East jersey for the first time, hardwood matchmakers have tried to get back to his presumed home in Manhattan by any hypothetical means possible. Sometimes, though, the Knicks’ best moves may have been the ones they have opted not to make.

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