The New York Knicks have involved themselves in a handful of marquee trades over the years.
Trades have reworked multiple iterations of the New York Knicks over the decades. These moves, sometimes controversial, shaped the teams fans watched for years, whether through happiness or heartache.
Superstar trades, though, don’t happen as often, at least for the Knicks. While their last big-name deal was in 2011 (more on that soon), the NBA has seen Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, Chris Paul, Blake Griffin, Kyrie Irving and DeMarcus Cousins moved in league-shaking transactions.
The most recent star, Jimmy Butler, was dealt for the second time in 18 months. He went to the Philadelphia 76ers for a package that included Dario Saric and Robert Covington.
That raises this throwback question: which marquee trades have the Knicks accomplished in their franchise’s history?
Knicks acquire Dave DeBusschere
New York Knicks trade: Walt Bellamy and Howard Komives
Detroit Pistons trade: Dave DeBusschere
The original big-name trade, the New York Knicks acquired Dave DeBusschere, a three-time All-Star with the Detroit Pistons, for Walt Bellamy and Howard Komives. It happened on Dec. 19, 1968.
This was a midseason acquisition for the Knicks, who looked to take a step forward after a 43-win season. It resulted in a 54-28 record in 1968-69, including a trip to the Eastern Conference Finals, losing to the Boston Celtics in six games.
In DeBusschere’s 47-game stint that season, he averaged 16.4 points, 11.4 rebounds and 2.7 assists, doing a bit of everything for the Knicks between Walt Frazier and Willis Reed.
DeBusschere played the rest of his career with the Knicks, retiring after the 1973-75 season. He made five All-Star teams with them and was part of both championships (1970, 1973) that this organization won.
Eventually, DeBusschere was named one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History. Not too shabby of an accolade, and he entered the Pro Basketball Hall of Fame in 1983.
Bellamy, while not as celebrated, also had a hall-of-fame career with five organizations. He lasted for seven seasons after the trade, including four-plus years with the early ’70s Atlanta Hawks.
Komives had a regular role with the Pistons for three-and-a-half years, but consistently shot below 40 percent and last played as a 32-year old in 1973-74.