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New York Knicks
Aug 28, 2025 9:23 PM EDT
After reaching the Eastern Conference Finals last season and with the East being weakened, the New York Knicks are set to enter the 2025-26 season with lofty expectations.
Of course, the Knicks have built one of the best starting lineups in the NBA in Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, OG Anunoby, Josh Hart and Mikal Bridges but their main area of weakness last season was their bench.
New York Knicks' Karl-Anthony Towns with Jalen Brunson in a game against the Memphis Grizzlies at FedExForum.
New York Knicks’ Karl-Anthony Towns with Jalen Brunson in a game against the Memphis Grizzlies at FedExForum. — Source: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images
Because of this, New York elected to upgrade their second unit this offseason by signing Jordan Clarkson and Guerschon Yabusele in free agency and they are also expected to sign another veteran player to come off the bench to fill their final roster spot.
With these moves, the Knicks are expected to be one of the teams to beat in the East this season as they try to end their long championship drought.
While the Knicks have already made multiple moves this offseason, they could elect to make more moves before the start of the regular season to upgrade their roster.
Knicks predicted to trade Josh Hart to Spurs for Keldon Johnson
With this in mind, Sports Illustrated’s Ryan Shea recently released a mock trade that would see the Knicks send Hart to the San Antonio Spurs straight up for Keldon Johnson.
New York Knicks guard Josh Hart (3) — Source: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
This would be an interesting trade for each team involved, though both players do share the same skillsets on the court, though Johnson is the younger option.
For Hart, he has played a key role for the Knicks during his three seasons with the franchise as he brings intensity on both ends of the court and is also a leader in the locker room.
The 30-year-old is a great scorer, rebounder, playmaker and defender who has been a perfect “glue guy” for the Knicks.
Last season, Hart averaged 13.6 points, 9.6 rebounds, 5.9 assists and 1.5 steals per game while shooting 52.5% from the field and 33.3% from three.
Keldon Johnson
San Antonio Spurs forward Keldon Johnson (0) — Source: © Petre Thomas-Imagn Images
On the other side, Johnson is also a key “glue guy” for the Spurs during the entirety of his career and he would give the Knicks a younger version of Hart.
Last season, the 25-year-old forward averaged 12.7 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game while shooting 48.2% from the field and 31.8% from three off the bench.
Of course, it would be a difficult decision for the Knicks to make to trade away Hart, especially with the connection between him and Brunson that goes all the way back to their days at Villanova.
New York Knicks teammates Josh Hart and Jalen Brunson at Barclays Center. — Source: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
Despite this, swapping him for a player with a similar skillset of him in Johnson who is five years younger could work out well for New York, though it is highly unlikely that they will look to move on from Hart anytime soon.
About the Author
Nathaniel Holloway