This Knicks trade would send Cam Reddish, Evan Fournier to Lakers

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 11: Cam Reddish #0 of the New York Knicks watches his shot during the third quarter of the game against the Detroit Pistons at Madison Square Garden on November 11, 2022 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Dustin Satloff/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 11: Cam Reddish #0 of the New York Knicks watches his shot during the third quarter of the game against the Detroit Pistons at Madison Square Garden on November 11, 2022 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Dustin Satloff/Getty Images)

With trade season in full swing, the New York Knicks are reportedly one of the more active teams on the market. New York has a few players on the roster that have popped up in trade rumors, including Cam Reddish and Evan Fournier.

Fournier hasn’t played in a game since Nov. 13 and Reddish last played on Dec. 3 in a loss to the Mavericks. Since being removed from the rotation, the 23-year-old has said that he didn’t request a trade, but it’s been reported that his representatives are working with the Knicks on a trade. At this point, he’d be better off going elsewhere.

Yahoo Sports’ Jake Fischer confirmed Shams Charania’s report that New York has had conversations with the Lakers regarding Reddish and Fournier. The Lakers have been linked to Reddish for some time now and they could use Fournier’s three-point shooting.

Fournier’s contract will make it difficult for the Knicks to move on from him, but it is possible to create a trade that would financially work for both sides.

This Knicks-Lakers trade would send Cam Reddish, Evan Fournier to LA

As a Knicks fan, your first thought after looking at the above trade is likely what good Patrick Beverley, Kendrick Nunn, and Wenyen Gabriel would do for New York. Well, the answer to that is not much. The whole point of the Knicks taking on the above three players would be because they’re all on expiring contracts. Most importantly, the front office would manage to part ways with Fournier and his contract.

Los Angeles’ front office has been reluctant to give up one of its two first-round picks, and in this scenario, they’d be able to avoid doing that. The Lakers would finally get Reddish and although they currently sit toward the bottom of the Western Conference, having Fournier as a source of shooting could possibly help LA make enough of a push to secure a play-in spot.

There’s always the chance that the Knicks will hold onto Fournier until the summer when all he has left on his contract is an $18.9 million salary for 2023-24 and a club option of $19 million in 2024-25. But it seems likely that if New York does trade Fournier and Reddish together to the same team, it’ll be the Lakers.