Six Potential Knicks Trades

Beef Stew on the Menu in New York?

In yesterday's post, I detailed the difficult obstacles New York has to hurdle to get a deal done over the next two weeks.

However, the Knicks desperately need to add some bench depth, and Leon Rose's front office has been incredibly resourceful and aggressive since arriving in New York. Thus, it is safe to assume they will work the phones nonstop and make every effort to upgrade the roster.

With that in mind, here are six hypothetical trades that the Knicks could explore…

Knicks receive:
Isaiah Stewart
Bobi Klintman

Pistons receive:
Mitchell Robinson
Pacome Dadiet
Cam Payne
2026 Second-Round Pick

I list this one first because I view Stewart as an ideal target for the Knicks. First and foremost, he's a New York kid (born and raised in Rochester) who grew up idolizing Patrick Ewing. Furthermore, Stewart's toughness, attitude and on-court aggression are reminiscent of Patrick's Knicks teams of the 90s. In many respects, "Beef Stew" is a "Thibs guy" through and through.

More importantly, Stewart brings a lot to the table and addresses many of New York's most glaring needs. The Knicks rank 24th in the NBA in rebounding, 28th in blocks and 15th in Defensive Efficiency this season. Stewart has been a phenomenal interior defender and rim protector this season and is a significant reason why the Pistons (currently two games above .500 for the first time this decade) are greatly exceeding expectations in 2024-25. Per NBA tracking data, opposing players are making just 47% of their shots at the rim contested by Stewart. That is the lowest percentage among all players averaging at least four contests per game (ahead of Daniel Gafford, 48%, Victor Wembanyama, 49%, Jarrett Allen, 50% and Rudy Gobert, 53%).

Stewart is shorter than your typical center at 6'8" but possesses a massive 7'4" wingspan. He is averaging a career-high 1.3 blocks this season, and, for his career, Stewart averages a robust 10.5 rebounds per 36 minutes.

He is also far more of an offensive threat than Mitch Rob. This season, he is shooting over 51% from the floor and 86.8% from the free-throw stripe. Most surprisingly/impressively, he showcased an improved long-range stroke in 2023-24 when he attempted 3.8 three-pointers per game and converted 38.3%. He's put up and made far fewer long balls this season but is still posting a True Shooting percentage north of 57%.

At just 23 years of age, Stewart has yet to enter his prime but can undoubtedly contribute immediately. He is under contract at $15 million per year until the end of the 2027-28 season (which means he won't push NY over second apron in 2025-26). And due to his versatility and effectiveness on both ends of the floor, he could play behind or alongside Karl-Anthony Towns. His presence would also allow OG Anunoby and Josh Hart to rest more frequently. All things considered, he'd be a terrific great fit on the Knicks roster.

"He's the type of guy that any team would love to have," Jalen Durn told the Detroit Free Press earlier this week. "He's the guy that does all the little things that might not show up in the stat sheet, hell of a leader, great locker room guy and on the court; I feel like everybody's scared of him. It starts with him, and we talk to each other. He tells me when I'm bullshitting…"

Which brings us to the obvious question: Would Detroit consider trading him? Prior to the season, I would have said "yes." At just 21 years of age, Duran (the team's lottery pick from the 2022 draft) is considered the Pistons "center of the future." They also have big man Paul Reed on the roster.

However, considering how well the Pistons are playing (they currently sit in sixth place in the East), it's less likely they will shake up their promising core.

Nonetheless, Detroit is not yet a true contender. They also have plenty of depth (Stewart is logging just 20 minutes a night off the bench) and may be intrigued by Robinson's upside and the fact that he has a descending contract that expires in 2026 (two years shorter than Stewart's pact). Even if Mitch Rob cannot contribute significantly this season, they could flip him over the summer or next February.

With Jaden Ivey sidelined by a broken fibula in his left leg, Payne would provide valuable secondary ball-handling and a veteran presence behind rising superstar Cade Cunningham. (New York would likely have to insert Tyler Kolek into the rotation behind Brunson.)

Bobi Klintman is a 21-year-old rookie forward whom the Pistons drafted with the 37th overall pick in 2024. He has appeared in just one game for Detroit this season.

The wildcard in this swap is the Pistons' thoughts on Dadiet. How did they view him as a prospect heading into the 2024 draft? He is incredibly raw but has shown flashes of intriguing upside. And at just 19, he'd be on the same timeline as Cunningham, Ron Holland, Ausar Thompson, etc. Dadiet is also locked into a below-scale rookie contract, making his salary that much more digestible.

If the Pistons aren't interested in Dadiet, would they prefer a protected first-rounder from the Wizards? Or the Knicks 2030 first-round pick swap?

Knicks receive:
Jordan Clarkson

Jazz receive:
Mitchell Robinson and a second-round pick