The New York Knicks have yet to make a single move ahead of the February 5 trade deadline, though, as a result of the bevy of deals made on Tuesday by rival clubs strewn across the league, they may officially have an ideal target on the verge of becoming available.
A three-team deal was executed between the Bulls, Pistons, and Timberwolves, shipping Jaden Ivey and Mike Conley Jr. to Chicago and Kevin Huerter and Dario Saric to Detroit.
Needless to say, the headline story of this exchange is that the playoff-pushing Bulls managed to land yet another former lottery pick in Ivey to their already impressive core of Josh Giddey, Coby White, and Ayo Dosunmu.
However, for the Knicks, the most interesting development of all is Conley's arrival in the Windy City, for, according to ESPN's Brian Windhorst, he's now considered to be a prime buyout candidate, which, should he ultimately be parted with and head to the open waters of mid-season free agency, makes him a name New York should be highly interested in keeping tabs on.
Mike Conley Jr. could be the ideal buyout target for Knicks
For months, it's been crystal clear that the Knicks have been in need of extra backcourt depth, particularly someone who can reliably play the role of understudy to Jalen Brunson.
Names like Jose Alvarado and, until recently, Keon Ellis have been seen circulating in the rumor mill as possible options worth pursuing.
However, with the recent rumblings regarding Conley, there may be a realistic scenario in which New York doesn't even have to part with assets to land someone of this coveted ilk.
Now in his 19 season in the association, it goes without saying that the veteran is no longer an All-Star, franchise point guard.
Still, he's proven to be a more than capable game manager in his twilight years who, at age 38, dishes out 7.4 dimes per 100 possessions while ranking ninth in assist-to-turnover ratio here in 2025-26.
On top of this, Conley's a widely renowned on-court and locker-room leader who, as Timberwolves coach Chris Finch has suggested, is an ideal veteran presence to have on the roster.
Considering the internal turmoil that has reportedly impacted New York this year, the point guard's arrival could be a much-needed boost behind the scenes.
From an in-the-game to an on-the-bench standpoint, bringing on someone like Conley via a minimum-scale deal in the event that he's bought out by the Bulls may just be the perfect, in-season move this title-hungry Knicks team could realistically make.