Tick, tock.
The NBA Trade Deadline is set for Thursday at 3 PM.
Spoiler: The Knicks are not joining in the blockbuster parade.
In the past 48 hours, four all-star caliber players have changed hands. While one was expected (Fox) and one was rumored (LaVine), the Luka-for-AD swap continues to send shockwaves throughout the sports universe.
After being the blockbuster maestros over the past 14 months, the Knicks will be reduced to minor deals this time around. They are in no rush to overhaul their roster after a 32-17 start to the season.
It’s significantly more likely that Leon Rose stands pat for the first time as Knicks’ executive than it is that they do a major shakeup.
Despite that, there’s potential for all sorts of moves, and said moves could shake up the rotation and the team’s plans in the buyout market. Our guys get lost in the shuffle, but let this be a breakdown that explains the Knicks-specific areas of the deadline and cut out all of the fluff.
Who can be traded?
Pretty much everyone.
As seen on Saturday night, nobody is untouchable in the modern-day NBA (unless you’re Bronny).
Every single player on the Knicks, except for one, is eligible to be traded on Thursday after Ariel Hukporti’s signing restriction expires. The only player who cannot be moved is Landry Shamet, funny enough.
So if the Bucks wanted to trade Giannis for Brunson for some reason, nothing is stopping the Knicks except… well, his godfather is the GM, his dad is the assistant coach, and the fanbase would make the Luka protests look pathetic.
Who REALISTICALLY can be traded?
Now we’re talking!
The Knicks are not shaking anything up unless another team begs to get fleeced. The entire starting five is safe (as well as Shamet).
Everyone else is fair game.
Deuce McBride has the most trade value as a steady bench scorer, but his contract is similarly small enough to not be viable for a trade but is also extremely valuable to the Knicks. Barring a godfather offer, Deuce isn’t going anywhere.
Mitchell Robinson has value in the world where he hasn’t missed over 100 games in the past two seasons, but we don’t live in that world. His salary ($14.32 million) and contract (expires after 2025-26) are his best asset and the Knicks’ only realistic chance to acquire someone making a mid-level NBA salary. However, his value to other teams has been severely diminished due to injury and it’s entirely reasonable to say that he has more value to the Knicks when he comes back than in a trade.
Cam Payne is interesting. His cap hit is $2.09 million, which essentially makes him unviable due to the cap constraints (more on that later), but he’s been the Knicks’ second-best bench player.
Precious Achiuwa is probably the best realistic trade asset. He’s proven to be a capable rotation player and makes $6 million. A potential wrench was avoided when Achiuwa elected to waive the right to an effective no-trade clause, which he was eligible for because of the type of contract he signed.
Jericho Sims is the most likely Knick to be traded. The fourth-year big man has been banished from the rotation and will be buried upon Robinson’s return. With alleged interest around the league and his contract expiring this offseason, trading him makes sense.
The rooks all can be traded, but they make so little and don’t hold a ton of value. I don’t see it.
What picks can be traded?
The Knicks have one first to trade and that essentially has the value of two seconds.
The 2025 Wizards’ first would be one of the most valuable assets in basketball if it wasn’t top 10 protected. It’s top 8 protected next year, but the Wizards look sooo far from being competent. If (when?) it doesn’t convey, it becomes a pair of 2nd-round picks.
Other than that, they have the swap rights for their 2026 and 2030 firsts and the “least favorable” of NYK/BKN picks in 2028.
As for seconds, they have plenty.
They have one pick in 2025: The most favorable of Memphis and Boston’s second-round pick. Yikes.
After that, a pair of least favorable 2nds in 2026, a pair of 2nds in 2027, and another pair in 2028. A lot of them, however, are doomed to the back half of the second round.
Who’s been linked to the Knicks?
A bunch of guys, but we’ll keep it brief-ish.
Jonas Valanciunas has been the popular center named. He’s been a steady veteran on an awful Wizards team but still has question marks defensively. He’s under contract through 2026-27 but would require Mitchell Robinson to be acquired. Is Mitch valuable to a tanking team that won’t be competing until long after he’s gone? Doubt it.
Guerschon Yabusele was a steal for the Sixers in the offseason and has been a beacon of light in a devastatingly bad start to the season. He was floated by ESPN, propped up by Mike Scotto, and would only require Jericho Sims for salary! However, I seriously doubt Daryl Morey will sell, especially to the Knicks. Sean Marks-esque tax.
Javonte Green is another low-salary role player linked to the Knicks. He’s a gritty Josh Hart-type (6’4” as well) and would also only require Sims. He seems like a logical option to acquire from a New Orleans team that is devastated by injury.
Cam Whitmore has been loosely mentioned, as the former Villanova Wildcat’s role has been reduced on a good Rockets team. The finances could be an issue, as the Knicks would not be able to just trade Sims and call it a day.
Chris Boucher has been linked to the Knicks. He’s an interesting case as an underrated big man on a mediocre Raptors team. I am skeptical, however, of the Knicks trading Mitch for an expiring contract in a situation where they cannot create cap space no matter what.
There’s also the nonsensical big man links. Myles Turner, Nikola Vucevic, Jusuf Nurkic, DeAndre Ayton, Clint Capela. Those five have been named by someone in the past four months, and none make sense salary-wise or fit-wise.
Where does the CBA fall into this?
The Knicks are not allowed to exceed the second apron, which they sit about $500,000 beneath right now, due to their aggregating salaries on both the Bridges and Towns trades. They are not allowed to take back more money in a trade than they send out, hence why their options are extremely limited with the lack of mid-tier salaries.
Despite an open roster spot, they are currently restricted from signing anybody in the buyout market. This leads to our next prompt:
What about the buyout market?
The Knicks cannot exceed the second apron. If they do nothing before the deadline, they will not have enough money to sign a 15th player until March 2, which is after the playoff-eligible deadline.
Gulp.
If they free up even a little money, they’ll be good. I floated the idea of trading Jericho Sims for a draft pick two weeks ago, which would allow the Knicks to sign someone ASAP.
Let’s say they do this. Who can we sign?
Due to their first apron status, they are prohibited from signing a player who makes more than the $12.8 million MLE on their initial salary. That means no Ben Simmons, D’Angelo Russell, or Malcolm Brogdon.
However, guys like New York native Mo Bamba are absolutely on the table.
What will they do?
I think the Knicks acknowledge their position as having the potential to make a run but could just not have enough yet. The status of OG Anunoby throws a wrench in things. If this injury holds him out for a while (or limits him), they’ll be more aggressive for wing depth.
I believe the org shares my sentiment that Mitchell Robinson is a ceiling raiser and doesn’t hold enough value to be traded right now. He stays.
If you ask me? I think they trade Sims somewhere, whether for a guy like Yabusele or Green or just for a pick and pursue the buyout market (or promote TJ Warren), depending on what exactly they do.
Tick, tock.