The NBA trade deadline is just four days away.
By Thursday afternoon, pencils will be down across the NBA, and the teams will mostly be set. The Knicks, after a 7-8 month that saw them go from playing like the worst team in basketball to a five-game winning streak, are fishing in several different waters ahead of the deadline.
Will they look for the Great White Shark, or will they just be content fishing for a good ol’ trout? Here’s everything you need to know ahead of this Thursday’s deadline:
What do the Knicks’ financials look like?
The
Knicks are currently operating in the first apron with a second apron hard cap that cannot be removed. The hard cap was automatically triggered when the Knicks used the mid-level exception to sign Guerschon Yabusele.
The most notable first apron restriction that impacts the Knicks is the inability to acquire more salary via trade. For example, if the Knicks traded Yabusele and his $5.5 million salary, they cannot acquire a player making more than that. The Knicks are allowed to stack multiple players in a trade, but cannot stack minimum deals, which may impact any deal involving the newly-benched Jordan Clarkson.
The Knicks have one open roster spot, so they could execute a 1-for-2 trade if they combine to make less than the outgoing player. That roster spot, as of now, cannot be filled for two months due to the team having under $150,000 in hard cap space. A salary dump or 2-for-1 trade can change that.
Three Knicks are pending free agents: Landry Shamet, Mitchell Robinson, and Jordan Clarkson.
Ariel Hukporti and Mo Diawara will also be restricted free agents. Additionally, Yabusele has a $5.7 million player option for 2026-27, which he would be expected to accept due to his decreased market value. This has apparently been a hindrance in attempting to trade the French forward.
Who are the Knicks targeting?
(The following players have been linked to the Knicks by at least one outlet. It will be updated.)
Giannis Antetokounmpo (F, MIL): The white whale of every team’s deadline. It remains unknown if the two-time MVP will actually be moved before the deadline, as his interests and the Bucks’ interests differ. He’d like to get traded and extended now, while the Bucks would benefit from waiting for when teams have more flexibility in the offseason. We had to include him here, but there is absolutely no chance the Knicks make the trade in-season. Re-assess if he’s still a Buck in June.
Jrue Holiday (G, POR): Marc Stein reported last week that the Knicks were calling the Portland Trail Blazers about a potential deal for the veteran lockdown defender, seeing him as a great pair with Jalen Brunson in the backcourt. The 2021 NBA champion turns 36 in June and has two years and $72 million left on his contract after this season. This feels like a move that would happen in conjunction with his former teammate in Milwaukee, not as a midseason shakeup, considering his salary.
Naji Marshall (F, DAL): The Knicks are one of many teams that are looking to add the veteran wing from a Mavericks team that is undecided on whether to sell off talent and fully commit to a Cooper Flagg window or try to make it work next season with their aging roster. He’s a bad shooter (30.3% for his career), but has made it work by averaging 14 points a night over the last two seasons by shooting over 60% inside the arc. Marshall makes $9 million and is under contract through 2026-27.
Jose Alvarado (G, NO): Grand Theft Alvarado having a homecoming in New York would be a great story all around, but the Brooklyn native has a few things working against it. The Pelicans, despite their record, have not been very willing to shop some of their talent, and Alvarado seems to like it in New Orleans. The pesky guard is averaging a career low in steals but a career high in efficiency. He has a $4.5 million player option for next season.
Yves Missi (C, NO): In the same reports that link Alvarado to the Knicks, they also mention the team’s interest in the Pelicans’ reserve center. The No. 21 overall pick in the 2024 draft has seen his role decrease, despite the Pelicans being one of the worst teams in basketball. His relatively inexpensive contract and control through 2027-28 would be an asset for the Knicks, especially when his skillset mirrors that of a younger Mitchell Robinson. There’s untapped potential in the 21-year-old, but will the Pelicans sell low?
Jeremy Sochan (F, SA): Before the Spurs became the contenders they are today, Sochan was a solid contributor who made real improvements from Year 2 to Year 3. Still just 22 years old, he’s fallen out of favor in Mitch Johnson’s rotation as he struggles with efficiency and seems out of place. The rumors say that the Knicks tried to get the expiring contract for Yabusele, but the Spurs were scared off because of the player’s option. In the event this happens, it would be a lottery ticket and a way to clear salary for the offseason.
Goga Bitadze (C, ORL): The Knicks have long coveted the Georgian big man, pursuing him after losing Isaiah Hartenstein in free agency in 2024. The 26-year-old is under control through 2026-27 on a frontloaded deal, but could make a bit too much for the Knicks at this point. He would provide the needed center depth behind Towns and Robinson and could be available after being the odd man out in Orlando’s rotation.
What assets do the Knicks have to trade?
The Knicks do not have an available first-round pick to trade. Their 2027, 2029, and 2031 firsts belong to Brooklyn, as well as their 2028 pick swap.
The Knicks are able to trade three pick swaps in 2026, 2030, and 2032. Their best asset in general is probably the conditional 2026 Wizards’ pick that will almost certainly turn into two second-round picks. In the new two-night draft format, the chance to draft No. 31 is sneakily valuable, and that’s where it could end up, not to mention they’d also have the rights to the Wizards’ second in 2027.
The Knicks also have the following second-round picks to trade:
- Least favorable of ORL/MIL/DET (2026)
- Least favorable of NYK/MIN (2026)
- Second most favorable of OKC/HOU/MIA/IND (2027)
- Third most favorable of OKC/HOU/MIA/IND (2027)
- Least favorable of IND/PHX (2028)
- BOS, top-45 protected (2028)
- NYK (2032)
Who could be on the move?
Depending on the level of trade? Anyone.
Well, not Jalen Brunson. Obviously.
Any key starter is unlikely to be moved solely because of the circumstances. OG Anunoby and Josh Hart don’t seem to be floated in any rumors, but in the event of a Giannis and/or Jrue megadeal, all hands are on deck.
Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns are the most likely to be moved in any big trade, but as previously stated, that’s not happening before the trade deadline. Bridges was not eligible to be traded until Sunday due to his offseason extension.
Deuce McBride and Landry Shamet are outperforming their miniature contracts, so despite the value they may present on the open market, the Knicks won’t be looking to trade them. As for other players unlikely to go anywhere, I don’t see Tyler Kolek or Mo Diawara going anywhere yet. Ariel Hukporti could go, but I don’t see much value there.
Mitchell Robinson should not be traded, at least in my opinion. Still, he’s an expiring contract, and the Knicks are taking a tremendous risk if they let him hit free agency. He’s invaluable to this team, so he should stick around, and the team can figure it out in June.
There are three players on the roster who are at greatest risk of being shipped out the door. You can probably guess who they are.
The Knicks have been very public in their attempts to get rid of Guerschon Yabusele, who’s been a flop of a free agent signing. They’ve also appeared willing to attach former first-round pick Pacome Dadiet to get a player who makes a higher salary. The third player is Jordan Clarkson, who’s fallen out of the rotation but still could contribute somewhere as a microwave scorer. If anyone goes, it’s one of these three.
