Heading into the 2025-26 season, early speculation had the New York Knicks being the most dominant team in the Eastern Conference. However, that has not been the case because there were always going to be early struggles with new head coach Mike Brown. Over the last week, they have started to build some momentum, but for many fans and analysts, there remains one obvious issue: Karl-Anthony Towns.
While he is posting 22 points a game, he hasn’t fit seamlessly into the new Knicks offense, and his shooting stats are down. But most importantly, he continues to be a defensive liability and is drawing public frustration from teammates. It has led to a lot of talk that the team could look to trade him in the next few weeks.
If they do, let’s look at five impact players they could get in a potential trade.
Anthony Davis
anthony davis
Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
There has been growing speculation that Anthony Davis could be a player New York swaps Towns for. The Dallas Mavericks’ big man continues to deal with injury issues. Nevertheless, if the Knicks want a big man with championship-level defense who can also score, Davis would check off those boxes. A defense led by a healthy Davis, OG Anunoby, and Mikal Bridges could carry NY to the Finals. But it’s a big if.
Domantas Sabonis
domantas sabonis
Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images
Another player who has seen his name pop up in trade rumors is Sacramento Kings star Domantas Sabonis. Is he as good as Towns? No, but the two-time All-Star is still a high-level player. He also comes with a smaller contract that would give the Knicks a little bit of salary flexibility to round out the roster. The big issue is whether his partial meniscus tear is a bigger issue long-term.
Nikola Vucevic
nikola vucevic
Soobum Im-Imagn Images
If the New York Knicks wanted to think long-term, moving Towns to the Chicago Bulls for Nikola Vucevic would be a possibility. In the short term, Vucevic would be a solid big man in the middle for the rest of the season. But he comes off the books after this season and would open up a bunch of cap space next year to restructure the roster differently.
Nic Claxton
nic claxton
Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images
Another name popping up in recent NBA rumors is Brooklyn Nets center Nic Claxton. BK badly needs a proven star to draw interest and make it more competitive. KAT would do that. For the Knicks, they would get a rock-solid center for half the price that would also allow them to move on from injury-prone big man Mitchell Robinson. Furthermore, a trade would free up a good chunk of cap space to remodel the roster.
Zion Williamson
zion williamson
Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images
A star Knicks management has long been a fan of is New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson. However, he remains as injury-prone as ever. Nevertheless, he is far younger, has a cheaper contract, and brings a bit more defense than Towns. Is a trade risky? Yes, but if they feel they can’t win it all with KAT, it is a risk they may need to take.
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After earning his journalism degree in 2017, Jason Burgos served as a contributor to several sites, including MMA Sucka ... More about Jason Burgos