Whether they’re good or bad, full of talent, or devout of it, the New York Knicks are always in the middle of trade rumors. It just comes with the market. With that in mind, it’s not surprising that following the Knicks’ eight-game winning streak, James Piercey came up with three trades anchored towards pushing New York closer to contention.
In the previous two games of pass or pursue, most of the trades involved dealing smaller veterans on the Knicks like Derrick Rose or Evan Fournier, however, Piercey went all out and had New York trading for some serious star power.
However, that does not mean these trades are the right way for the team to go. While it may make sense for the Knicks to go all in on contending, the team still has plenty of young talent that may be worth keeping in order to be better in the future.
Pass or Pursue on 3 Knicks trades anchored toward contending
Trade #1: Sending Immanuel Quickley and picks for a star in the East
This is a peculiar trade. While I can absolutely understand why the Knicks would be interested in this, I truly don’t see why the Wizards would consider this trade. In this deal, New York would be shipping off Immanuel Quickley, Derrick Rose, Evan Fournier, and three first-round picks for Washington Wizards star Bradley Beal.
This trade would certainly make the Knicks a bit better than they currently are and would give the team the consistent source of offense that they desperately need. However, as good as Beal is, is adding another ball-dominant guard the solution to New York’s problems?
Despite the lack of crazy statistics we are used to from Beal, he is still having a very good season, the most efficient of his career at that. Through 23 games, Beal is averaging 23.5 points, 5.2 assists, and 3.6 rebounds while shooting 52.7% from the field and 34.3% from three on 4.6 attempts.
Beal is a fantastic player. However, I don’t think he would be the best fit on this team, let alone the picks the Knicks would be giving up, which involves their pick this season, a 2025 Bucks pick, and their 2027 pick.
While the first two picks are not valued that high, as not only would the Knicks more than likely make the playoffs with this trade, we all know how good the Bucks are, but that 2027 pick is a while down the road and could bite the Knicks in the butt if they do this trade.
In my opinion, New York needs more off-ball, 3-and-D oriented wings, not a ball-dominant guard. Again, Beal is a fantastic player who would more than likely make the Knicks a better team, however, the fit makes me want to send these assets elsewhere, like in a potential OG Anunoby trade.
Also, while this doesn’t have any effect on whether or not the Knicks would say yes or no to this trade, there is no way the Wizards would accept this. As I mentioned before, the picks will not have much value and the only positive basketball player Washington would be getting is Quickley, who, even then, is not the most desirable asset to get in return for Beal.
Verdict: Pass due to fit
Trade #2: The same assets but for a worse player
I am not sure what Piercey was thinking with this one. Again, the Knicks would be getting a very good player, however, the poor fit and picks given up just don’t make sense. This time around, the Knicks would be sending Quickley, Fournier, Rose, three first-round picks, AND a 2026 first-round pick swap for Zach LaVine.
In a very similar fashion to the Beal trade, the Knicks would improve right now with this deal, as despite being in the middle of a “down” year, LaVine is still a fine player. Through 32 games, LaVine is averaging 22.6 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 4.2 assists while shooting 46% from the field and 38.1% from three on 7.4 attempts.
However, I don’t understand giving up more assets for a player that is, in my opinion, worse than Bradley Beal.
On paper, LaVine would make the Knicks decently better than they currently are, but for the assets they would have to give up, I don’t think LaVine would move the needle enough to make giving up this many picks worth it.
Player-wise, the Knicks are getting a steal in LaVine, but again, the fit and picks make it so hard to accept this trade. Also, similar to the Wizards, I don’t see the Bulls accepting this deal, as they can likely get more for their buck for the 27-year-old.
In order for the Knicks to give up so many picks, regardless of value, they need to be getting a player in return that instantly boosts their odds of contention. While LaVine would improve New York, he does not push them to that upper echelon that would make this trade worth it.
Verdict: Pass
Trade #3: Sending A LOT of assets for a star in a down year
This is easily my least favorite trade yet. While for the others, the reason for passing had more to do with fit than anything else, this trade is just not good. In this trade, the Knicks would be shipping off RJ Barrett, Quickley, Fournier, four first-round picks, and a pick swap for Karl-Anthony Towns.
As much as I love Towns and think he would be a more than perfect fit for the Knicks, his level of performance this season is less than worthy of all these assets. Through 21 games, Towns is averaging 20.8 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 5.3 assists while shooting 50.5% from the field and 32.5% from three on 5.6 attempts.
Normally, this is a trade the Knicks would maybe consider pulling off. While it doesn’t help that Towns is playing out of position and in a rather poor situation, his level of play is certainly concerning and not warranting of this package.
In addition to this, while this is overblown a lot of the time, Towns is still not the best defender, and considering how much the team has struggled on that side of the ball at times this season, bringing in Towns wouldn’t help.
Towns and the Knicks have been intertwined in trade rumors for a very long time now and as nice as it would be to have him on the team, I have a hard time looking past how poor he has played this season.
This is going to be the first game of pass or pursue in which all trades were passed upon. While all of these players would more than likely make the Knicks better, their fit and the assets the Knicks are giving up make it too difficult to say yes.
Verdict: Pass
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