The New York Knicks’ desire to trade Guerschon Yabusele is among the NBA’s worst-kept secrets. And yet, they’re still struggling to find a dance partner, because his 2026-27 player option is a turnoff for prospective landing spots.
This is not an unsolvable problem. It’s just one that lacks an obvious solution.
Enter the Atlanta Hawks.
On the heels of their Trae Young trade, the Hawks are now nearly $7 million below the luxury tax. According to HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto, they “have signaled a willingness to help other teams duck the tax for second-round pick draft compensation.”
A team like this is just what the Knicks need, particularly when so many others are ostensibly no-gos.
Why the Knicks are struggling to find Yabusele trades
New York is inside $150,000 of the second apron. Even if it doesn’t plan to seek upgrades on the trade market, it must carve out more flexibility if it wants to fill another roster spot in free agency or by converting one of their two-way guys.
The thing is, the Knicks are not alone in their search for flexibility and tax relief. Either teams are within $7.5 million of skirting the tax altogether. Another five squads, not including the Knicks, are over the first apron, and unable to take back more money than they send out. So right off the bat, nearly half of the league isn’t in a position to cut costs for possible trade partners.
But wait! It gets worse.
Another five teams have less than $3.4 million separating them from the luxury tax. None of those squads seem willing to cross that line, which removes even more possibilities from the equation.
This still leaves a handful of other options. The Brooklyn Nets, Utah Jazz, and Washington Wizards are among the most popular callouts. Each has a ton of flexibility. But they’re not renting out that maneuverability for nothing. They will need compensation to take on money.
That does not bode well for the Knicks. They don’t have any first-round picks to trade, and even using second-rounders to grease the wheels of a salary dump can be a tall order when they’re conserving assets for Giannis Antetokounmpo talks.
The Hawks may have just given the Knicks an out
This is why Atlanta’s willingness to take on unwanted money matters. New York’s options are wearing too thin. It doesn’t even sound like Victor Wembanyama’s relationship with Yabusele will be enough to convince the San Antonio Spurs to take a flier on the Frenchman.
Granted, the Hawks are not about to sponge up Yabu’s money for free. But their $13.1 million trade exception—which can be used to absorb players outright—from the Bogdan Bogdanovic deal last February expires at the deadline. If the Knicks are willing to include a second, they can take on Yabu’s money outright, without sending anyone back in return. That would give New York nearly $6 million in wiggle room beneath the second apron.
The Knicks could also try expanding the deal to grab Vit Krejci, a 6’8” ball-handler who is under team control through 2027-28 at an absolute pittance. Adding another second or two saves them money while netting a rotation player. And they could save even more money if Atlanta is willing to take back Pacome Dadiet, or Jordan Clarkson.
This isn’t meant to paint the Hawks as an end-all, be-all. They are merely another potential landing spot for Yabusele’s seemingly unwanted contract. And at a time when realistic options are hard to come by, the emergence of an additional one is a big deal.