Potential Trade Targets for the Knicks: Part 1

The one benefit of failing to live up to expectations this season is that it empowers New York to be a seller at the trade deadline, enabling them to build towards the future.

With the Knicks' recent struggles, they find themselves three games under .500 and sitting in 11th place in the Eastern Conference, outside of the playoff picture. The one benefit of failing to live up to expectations this season is that it allows New York to be a seller at the trade deadline, enabling the Knicks to add young talent as they build toward the future.

The East is wide open this year, as just 1.5 games separate the top five teams! And that doesn't even include the Nets, who've lost five straight games and have slid to sixth place in the conference. As a result, plenty of contenders may be looking to upgrade their roster by adding a reliable and proven veteran or two. 

That's where the Knicks come in. If a team is in the market for a versatile guard that can contribute on both ends of the floor, Alec Burks is on the table. Looking for a defensive-minded center to protect the paint? New York can offer up Nerlens Noel. Would a team searching for a PG depth have any interest in Kemba Walker? Evan Fournier struggled early this season but shot a scorching 45.7% from three-point range in January, which was the highest percentage among all players who attempted at least 100 triples.

With that in mind, let's take a look around the league and highlight some players the Knicks may be interested in prior to the deadline, which is now just eight days away.

Patrick Williams, Chicago Bulls:
Williams, the 4th overall pick in the 2020 NBA draft, showed plenty of promise on both ends of the floor as a rookie last season. Still just 20 years old, he is the type of buy-low asset I believe the Knicks should be targeting. Williams underwent surgery on his left wrist back in October and is expected to miss the remainder of the 2021-22 season, but New York desperately needs to clear a rotation spot for recently-acquired Cam Reddish, so that actually works well for the Knicks.

The Bulls are currently in first place in the East. Are they looking to go all-in this year? Two of their best players (DeRozan and Vooch) are over 30, and a deep postseason run might help convince Zach Lavine to re-sign this summer. With both Alex Caruso and Lonzo Ball sidelined by injuries, would Chicago be interested in Burks? New York could sweeten the pot by including draft capital and/or a young prospect such as Jericho Sims, who could give the Bulls some depth at center.

Collin Sexton, Cleveland Cavaliers:
Sexton, another injured young player, is out for the season with a torn meniscus. The Knicks were reportedly interested in trading for Sexton last summer after his standout 2020-21 campaign, in which he averaged 24.3 points and 4.4 assists per game. Some critics claim he put empty-calorie stats on a bad team, especially considering Cleveland's success without him this year. Still, there is no denying Sexton's offensive effectiveness. And although he will be a restricted free agent this summer, trading from Sexton now would allow New York to control his Bird Rights this offseason. Thus, even if another team was willing to make him a big offer, the Knicks could potentially benefit via a sign-and-trade agreement. If not, maybe New York locks him up to a team-friendly contract. 

The Cavs, one of 2021-22's most pleasant surprises, are 11 games over .500 and would have home-court advantage in the first round if the playoffs started today. However, Ricky Rubio was a key contributor over the first two months of the season before he tore his ACL. Thus, the Cavs may be another team interested in trading for a veteran guard capable of supplying steady leadership and an offensive spark off the bench. 

Jalen Brunson, Dallas Mavericks:
I took a long, deep dive into the pros and cons of trading for Jalen Brunson late last month:

Should the Knicks Trade For Jalen Brunson?

Ben Simmons, Philadelphia 76ers:
NBA writers are obligated by law to include Simmons' name anytime they discuss potential trade targets, but the Knicks are not a realistic landing spot. The Sixers are seeking a massive haul for the incredibly versatile and talented, yet flawed, Big Ben, and the Knicks likely wouldn't be willing to offer the package of "win-now" players and future first-round picks required to pry Simmons from purgatory in Philly.