Getting ready for a potentially enormous Knicks trade deadline
The Knicks could have one of their more substantial trade deadlines in recent memory ahead of them.
January has been a frigid month in New York, both for the weather and the Knicks. The team is 6-8 this calendar year, 11-11 since the NBA Cup Championship, and has suffered tough losses to the Kings, the Pistons, and the Mavericks. While the spiral might be on hold thanks to four straight wins, there’s still some pretty substantial issues that have come up during the cold spell and might need addressing at the trade deadline.
Trade rumors have started to pick up steam, with more and more reports coming out as we close in on the Feb. 5 deadline. It seems likely the Knicks will make some sort of move, but whether it's to add to the supporting cast or move one of their starting five remains unclear.
Some reports around potential deadline moves have centered around the Knicks trading Guershon Yabusele to acquire role players to help fill out the roster. Brett Siegel reported that the Knicks have held talks around Jeremy Sochan, Naji Marshall, and the Pelicans’ duo of Jose Alvarado and Yves Missi. However, in recent days, Marc Stein said that the Mavericks are not entertaining offers for Marshall that don’t include a first-round pick, and with the Knicks needing to preserve draft capital for any potential Giannis Antetokounmpo move, this probably takes him out of contention.
Marshall is a gritty wing capable of scoring in the paint and playing solid defense. He would certainly help the Knicks’ defense and bolster their wing depth, but it’s probably not worth it to jeopardize the possibility of trading for Giannis to get him, with the Knicks only having the Wizards’ top-8 protected first round pick in this draft at their disposal this deadline.
The Spurs reportedly have interest in Yabusele due to his connection to Victor Wembanyama through the French national team, and have discussed a package centered around Sochan, who is currently out of their rotation. Sochan is a great defender with size, but his lack of shooting would not necessarily be the best fit in Mike Brown’s system. However, Yabusele’s value around the league is low, so taking a gamble on someone like Sochan is definitely a possibility.
Then there’s New Orleans. The Knicks apparently have their eyes on Alvarado, a New York native. As a backup point guard, he would be a perfect fit playing behind Jalen Brunson. The Knicks’ point-of-attack defending has been poor at times this season, and Alvarado would help to alleviate those concerns with his excellent defensive intensity and grit. Also, having a Puerto Rican from New York playing for the Knicks, particularly with his gritty brand of basketball, would make him an instant fan favorite in the Garden.
Recently, the Knicks have also been linked to the Pelicans’ second-year center Yves Missi. After a second-team All-Rookie finish last season, Missi has seen his minutes cut playing behind Derik Queen and has expressed interest in playing somewhere else. The Knicks need a reliable third center, especially if they want to try more double big lineups to mitigate Brunson and KAT’s defensive frailties. Missi would be perfect in that role. His combination of athleticism, defense, and rebounding is reminiscent of a young Mitchell Robinson, and his rookie deal would mean the Knicks have him at a low cost for the next couple of seasons.
Adding both Alvarado and Missi in one swoop could be perfect for shoring up the Knicks’ depth at two key positions, especially for the reported cost of Yabusele and Pacôme Dadiet, the 2024 first-round pick who has yet to get much opportunity to show what he can do. The Knicks might need to include some seconds to facilitate the deal, but this package seems more than reasonable.
While periphery players like Yabusele and Dadiet have reportedly been made available for trade, it’s worth looking at the rest of the roster and seeing if any other players could potentially be moved. Robinson has had speculation around him all season due to his upcoming unrestricted free agency — which comes with some difficulties thanks to the NBA’s salary cap apron rules — and some mysterious social media posts, but it seems like he will be staying in New York past the deadline.
While Mitch is an injury risk, the Knicks have managed his minutes well, allowing him to play a season-high 27 minutes against the 76ers. His offensive rebounding and defense are second to none, and he has been one of the team’s most consistent performers all year. He’s the Knicks’ X-factor off the bench, and the front office would be wise to find a way to extend the longest tenured Knick's stay in New York.
Deuce McBride has high value around the league due to his team-friendly contract, but for that reason and the outsized impact he has in his minutes, I don’t think he’s moving unless it’s in a larger move.
In terms of the starting lineup, rumors have been swirling around a potential Karl-Anthony Towns deal since the Knicks’ downward turn began. Reports have circulated that the Knicks have had talks with Charlotte, Memphis, and Orlando to gauge the interest in KAT. Towns is a dominant offensive presence at his best, but he has not been effective operating in Brown’s system. And while his offense has lagged, his fouling and defensive lapses have been on full display.
However, looking at the teams the Knicks are allegedly speaking with, there probably isn’t a package that allows them to get adequate value back for KAT. Charlotte would require them to take back one of LaMelo Ball or Miles Bridges, both unsavory opportunities. Memphis could offer Jaren Jackson Jr., but his poor rebounding and KAT-like tendency to foul at inopportune moments probably would not move the team forward in a meaningful way. If Orlando was willing to part with Jalen Suggs, Wendell Carter Jr., and salary filler, I could see a deal being possible, but that feels like a long shot. Hopefully, KAT will return to his best in the coming weeks and put these trade rumors to bed. That is, unless…
The biggest trade story of the deadline will, of course, revolve around Giannis Antetokounmpo’s future in Milwaukee. Having booed his home fans and suffered a calf injury that will likely sideline him for 4-6 weeks, Marc J. Spears commented that he thinks, “[Giannis] has played his last game in a Milwaukee Bucks uniform.” ESPN’s Shams Charania added some more writing to the wall on Wednesday, noting that Giannis “is ready for a new home ahead of the Feb. 5 trade deadline, and the Bucks “are more open than ever to Antetokounmpo offers between now and the deadline.”
The Bucks may want to wait to trade Giannis in the offseason, but with the recent reports that he wants to move on by Feb. 5 plus his supermax extension eligibility hinging on finding a new team this deadline, it’s seeming more likely he could be gone by next Thursday.
He was angling to come play for the Knicks last summer. Leon Rose and the front office have held a longstanding interest in Giannis, as any team in the league probably would if given the chance. Pairing a player of his ability with Brunson is the long-term goal for this franchise.
However, with the assets the Knicks traded for Bridges, it will be hard to execute a deal while preserving depth. Any trade could mean that KAT, Bridges, and possibly McBride are all moved. Recent rumors linking Jrue Holiday with the Knicks and Bridges with the Trailblazers, the team that has the rights to many of Milwaukee’s draft picks from the Damian Lillard deal, make it seem as if a deal could be possible.
If the Knicks could acquire Holiday and Giannis, it would be a sensational move for the team. Obtaining one of the best players in the world is one thing, but also adding a solid vet in Holiday to be their primary point-of-attack defender would make the Knicks a serious title contender. A starting five of Brunson, Holiday, Anunoby, Antetokounmpo, and Robinson would be formidable. This Giannis saga has been dragging on for years, and who knows if the Knicks will ultimately come up with a package good enough to satisfy Milwaukee. But if they can, they should make sure the deal gets over the line.
So, what should the Knicks do at the trade deadline? To me, Giannis is the priority. The Knicks should do whatever it takes to acquire him at the deadline, but if a deal is not possible, I think they should still try to upgrade the roster by trading with the Pelicans for Missi and Alvarado. This team clearly needs some additions if it wants to truly contend for the Larry O’Brien trophy. Standing pat is not an option. But Leon & Co. must not lose sight of their desire to trade for Giannis. If the Knicks can’t get him now, maintaining the flexibility to acquire him in the summer is paramount, provided he doesn’t end up on another team at the deadline. I do expect the Knicks to make some trade before the deadline, whether big or small. Hopefully that will elevate them back to the levels they were at in 2025.
