The New York Knicks haven’t made a trade yet this summer, and they may not make one at all. After making two blockbusters last offseason, they have focused on enhancing their depth this offseason through the additions of Jordan Clarkson and Guerschon Yabusele in free agency.
However, the idea that they could make a trade to open up cap space is not out of the realm of possibilities. If they do a trade, though, they shouldn’t move on from a major piece that can contribute to a potential title run.
Bizarre mock trade has Knicks moving Karl-Anthony Towns
Sports Illustrated’s Rohan Roman and Jackson Caudell proposed a bizarre mock trade that would have the Knicks send Karl-Anthony Towns to the Suns in exchange for role players and picks in a three-team deal:
Karl-Anthony Towns, Knicks
Credit: Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images
Hawks receive: Tyler Kolek
Suns receive: Karl-Anthony Towns and Pacome Dadiet
Knicks receive: Dillon Brooks, Grayson Allen, Nick Richards, a 2026 2nd round pick(from PHX, via OKC, DAL, or PHI), a 2029 2nd round pick (from ATL, via CLE), a 2029 2nd round pick (via PHX), and an unprotected 2032 1st round pick swap (via PHX)
Trading Towns, in theory, would provide great financial relief, which is the only logical aspect of moving him. However, the return in this mock trade does not make the Knicks better and includes players who don’t fit the system.
The Knicks would get an unbalanced return in this mock
New York has a surplus of guards as it is, so adding Brooks and Allen would not make a lot of sense for them. Furthermore, going from Towns to Richards is a massive downgrade, and they would lose a lot of spacing in the frontcourt by making such a swap.
Jan 20, 2025; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) goes to the basket against Atlanta Hawks forward Onyeka Okongwu (17) during the first half at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
On the plus side, the draft capital that would be added in this deal would be beneficial towards facilitating other trades, though they would ideally want more than just one first-round pick if they are going to trade an All-Star, as second-rounders don’t hold nearly as much value.
Overall, this mock trade is unbalanced and would not give the Knicks a better chance to win. They don’t need to blow up the core for financial relief, as pay cuts taken by Jalen Brunson and Mikal Bridges have helped them maintain some flexibility on the market, and moving Towns for those assets would not work.