The New York Knicks are in an interesting position this season. With a 43-26 record, they’re well-placed to enter the Playoffs as the No. 3 seed in the East. However, a recent injury to Jalen Brunson and their general distance from the East’s top two have had many dismiss the Knicks as real contenders altogether. If they do fail to win a title, we might see some bad old habits seep back into the franchise.
They spent a lot to put their current core together, so an underperformance could lead to major changes. However, the Knicks have built something that could sustain itself for years while improving, so it could be a great decision to stand mostly pat no matter the result of this season.
Minor trades will likely be necessary, but the Knicks must stay away from these three potential trades they could find in their laps.
Deal Between The Knicks And The Pistons
Trade Details
Detroit Pistons Receive: OG Anunoby
New York Knicks Receive: Tobias Harris, Ron Holland, Marcus Sasser, 2027 First-Round Pick (DET), 2028 First-Round Pick Swap (DET)
This would be a great deal for the Detroit Pistons, who land an All-Defense caliber forward to continue building their championship core. Even with the loss of key pieces, a player like OG Anunoby can be extremely impactful on the margins for a winning franchise. But that’s exactly the reason the Knicks shouldn’t trade him, even if it lands them depth, salary flexibility, and future assets.
Anunoby is averaging 16.7 points and 4.8 rebounds this season. His impact on the court isn’t reflected in the box score, as he’s one of the best defenders in the NBA right now. The Pistons would love to have him, but this package just wouldn’t be enough even though it gets out of Anunoby’s expensive five-year, $212 million deal for a salary-strapped Knicks roster.
Tobias Harris is averaging 13.9 points and 6.1 rebounds while being on an expiring contract for next season. Rookie Ron Holland is averaging 6.2 points while Marcus Sasser is averaging 5.7 points. They’re both high-potential youngsters who could play a rotational role, but not enough to facilitate winning on a contender.
Knicks Could Make A Mistake In Trade With Pelicans
Trade Details
Toronto Raptors Receive: Josh Hart, Mitchell Robinson
New York Knicks Receive: Brandon Ingram
The silent glue holding the Knicks together for the last two seasons has been Josh Hart. He carries the biggest load for the smallest spotlight, consistently playing full games when required and always giving his all. While he’s started to get his recognition now, he was bouncing around the NBA for years before landing with the Knicks in 2022. He’s averaging 14.0 points, 9.6 rebounds, and 5.7 assists this season.
Trading Hart alongside Mitchell Robinson for a forward like Brandon Ingram would be confusing. Ingram averaged 22.2 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 5.2 assists this season before being traded to the Raptors, who he hasn’t played a game for. He’s extended a contract with them as well, expecting to be a part of their future. Trading him now would make little sense for either side.
Trading Mitchell Robinson alone might make sense, with the Knicks center averaging 5.7 points and 5.6 rebounds this season. He’s an interesting option alongside Karl-Anthony Towns but could be moved for more guard depth or a different type of center. Nonetheless, using him as a salary filler for Ingram’s cost-controlled long-term contract wouldn’t be ideal.
Risky Trade With The Hornets
Trade Details
Charlotte Hornets Receive: Jalen Brunson, 2031 First-Round Pick Swap (NYK)
New York Knicks Receive: LaMelo Ball
This trade the Knicks must avoid. There is a theoretical case for LaMelo Ball being a better option. It primarily boils down to a long-term perspective given he’s five years younger. However, there could be merits in having a more creative passing guard such as LaMelo to maximize the pieces’ wing pieces around while also being a potentially equivalent if not improved scoring replacement.
LaMelo is averaging 25.4 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 7.2 assists this season while Brunson is averaging 26.3 points and 7.4 assists.
Brunson destroys LaMelo on almost every intangible metric such as leadership and winning intent, so this deal would wreck the Knicks. They would have to pray they can completely alter LaMelo’s poor habits on the court and make him a winning player, which puts them on a slight rebuilding course while they iron out those issues.
This would kill the Knicks’ credibility even with the promises of LaMelo having a higher ceiling. Brunson is the heart and soul of the team and just took a pay cut to ensure his teammates get paid for a win-now core in New York. He’s built for this franchise and shouldn’t even be considered for a trade, especially for a variable prospect like Ball.
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