The New York Knicks have the star power, but questions remain about whether the full roster can help Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns to the team’s first title in more than 50 years.
It’s not for a lack of moves, as the Knicks have been very busy revamping their roster over the past 18 months. But now, with a 9-5 record, the team still has room for improvement. While injuries have played a part, the frontcourt has been the biggest issue for New York this season. Mitchell Robinson has been hurt and a black hole on offense, while new addition Guerschon Yabusele has been a similar story.
While trade rumors around the league start to heat up, the Knicks got pretty troubling news as it relates to any incoming changes to the roster. Writing for ESPN, both Bobby Marks and Tim Bontemps explained that, trade-wise, New York is probably more limited than any other team in the NBA.
“New York has 84% of its salary cap tied up in contracts for Towns, OG Anunoby, Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges and Josh Hart. They are also $148,358 below the second apron and are not allowed to take on salary in a trade,” Marks wrote.
“In the wake of the Luka Doncic trade last February, never rule anything out in the NBA, but the chances of New York making significant moves from now until the deadline feel remote,” Bontemps added.
Again, the stars of Brunson and Towns have been great. Bridges, Hart, Anunoby, and Landry Shamet have been solid, but it remains the frontcourt that’s the team’s biggest cause for concern.
Knicks Have Limited Options In The Trade Market
Part, or potentially all, of the reasons why New York is limited in making a trade are from their own undoing. They’ve given massive contracts out to their top stars, $156 million for Brunson, $150 million for Bridges, while Towns and Hart are already wrapped up in big deals.
Luckily, they got Yabusele and Jordan Clarkson for pretty cheap over the summer, but as Marks mentioned, the massive chunk of the salary cap taken up by their starting lineup makes a potential move nearly impossible.
“The Knicks are in a similar position as last November: top-heavy in contracts with no first-round picks to trade and the uncertain future of Robinson,” he added.
The Robinson question remains perhaps most pertinent for the Knicks right now. He’s been unhealthy, inconsistent, and while numbers-wise, he elevates the team, he might not have a long-term future in New York. If the Knicks want to send him out in a deal, they have a few draft picks to add in as well, but it’s hard to say the center and some low picks would move the needle for a potential piece in return.
“The $12.9 million expiring contract of Robinson, the ability to swap first-round picks in three years (2026, 2030 and 2032) and eight seconds represent New York’s most appealing trade assets,” Marks wrote. “If the Knicks traded Robinson for a comparable salary but money owed in 2026-27, they could be a second apron team after their roster fills out.”
Yet still, that remains a tall task.
“What’s next for New York?” Bontemps asked, and then responded to. “Probably nothing too exciting. The Knicks, as Bobby laid out, have very little flexibility due to their lack of draft assets and being snug against the second apron.”
Mike Brown Relying More On New York’s Bench
The stars for New York have rarely been an issue over the past few years, as more recently, there have been questions surrounding the team’s bench depth as a bigger cause for concern. The signings of Yabusele and Clarkson were meant to fix that issue with new head coach Mike Brown. While the start of the season didn’t see much impact from those two, or any of the Knicks’ other backups, that trend is starting to change.
Writing for The Athletic, James L. Edwards highlighted that with Brown, the Knicks’ bench has elevated its collective play.
“A year ago, when New York was in crunch time, we all knew who would be on the floor,” he wrote. “This season, it’s a little less predictable. Brown isn’t afraid to ride the hot hand. He’s also not afraid to sit the cold one, even if that’s a starter. Brown has dared to experiment in November so he can have a better understanding of who he can trust come the spring.”
Though the performances out of Hart, Clarkson, Miles McBride, or any other non-starter haven’t been jaw-dropping, it at least gives Brown a chance to experiment early in the season, something former head coach Tom Thibodeau would likely scoff at.
“New York, when healthy, can confidently go nine deep,” he wrote. “Brown is allowing his players to build confidence in the middle of November. In turn, he’s learning who he can trust, all with the hopes it’ll pay off in April and beyond.”
The Knicks might be limited in the upcoming trade season, but when healthy, that might not matter. The stars still have a lot to carry on their shoulders, but the organization put themselves in that position, and have to now live with it.
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