Reviewing Knicks Trade Rumors on 2026 NBA Deadline Day
The NBA's trade deadline is rapidly approaching. After 3 p.m. ET on Thursday, teams will be prohibited from making moves until the 2026 offseason. For those looking to dump veteran assets or load up for the playoff run, the 11th hour has arrived.
While the New York Knicks don't necessarily fall into either category, they're certainly closer to the latter. With the second-best record in the East and an eight-game winning streak, New York certainly looks like a title contenderโalbeit one that might not need a blockbuster move to win a championship.
Of course, that doesn't mean the Knicks won't find themselves in a headline-grabbing trade on Thursday, and they've certainly watched several of them unfold during the week.
On Tuesday, the Cleveland Cavaliers sent Darius Garland to the Los Angeles Clippers for James Harden. On Wednesday, the Dallas Mavericks successfully unloaded Anthony Davis in a deal with the Washington Wizards.
Where might the Knicks slot into the trade-deadline frenzy? Let's dive into the latest buzz.
Knicks Still Hanging Around the Giannis Conversation
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Will the Milwaukee Bucks move Giannis Antetokounmpo before the deadline? That's been a burning question for weeks, if not months, and it's one Giannis hasn't quite gone out of his way to extinguish.
"I want to be here, but I want to be here to win, not fighting for my life to make the playoffs," Antetokounmpo said, per Eric Nehm of The Athletic.
Milwaukee isn't going to put a championship roster around Antetokounmpo overnight, which is why the trade buzz has grown so loud. And while the Bucks might get a better offer for Giannis in the summer, they're at least listening to offers.
New York is still making itself part of the conversation, a source told The Athletic's Sam Amick.
Acquiring Antetokounmpo would likely force the Knicks to tear down their roster, probably by moving the likes of OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges, and Karl-Anthony Towns. Considering where the team currently is, that seems very risky. Of course, players like Giannis don't become available very often.
Knicks Deal Guerschon Yabusele, Interested in Jose Alvarado
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While the Knicks may not actually orchestrate a blockbuster for a player like Antetokounmpo, they're not staying entirely quiet at the deadline.
Guerschon Yabusele, who was signed in free agency, was a player New York looking to move. According to NBA reporter Evan Sidery, Yabusele is among the players being shopped "for cap-saving purposes."
On Wednesday night, the Knicks managed to flip him to the Chicago Bulls for Dalen Terry, according to ESPN's Shams Charania:
While the Knicks were able to get something in return for Tabusele, it might not have been the return they wanted. According to SNY's Ian Begley, the Knicks are interested in New Orleans Pelicans guard Jose Alvarado as well as center Yves Missi.
According to ClutchPoints' Brett Siegel, though, the Knicks had spoen to the Pelicans and San Antonio Spurs, but neither team has been interested in taking Yabusele's contract.
Karl-Anthony Towns
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Not too long ago, the idea of moving Towns in anything short of a blockbuster deal might have seemed a little silly. However, the 30-year-old is having a down year offensively and reportedly has a strained relationship with the Knicks.
"Sam Amick reported last week that New York's talks with the Bucks last summer about acquiring Antetokounmpo created hard feelings with Towns that are still present," The Athletic's James L. Edwards III wrote.
Per Edwards, executives from other teams don't believe that Towns is off-limits.
While Towns' scoring numbers have been down this season, that hasn't hurt New York during its recent winning streak. He's still excelling as a rebounder, and the Knicks have adapted well.
It feels unlikely that Towns will be dealt, unless a stunning deal for Antetokounmpo comes together. What the Knicks are doing is working, and it doesn't sound as if New York could expect a massive return.
"Assuming Towns is moved but not in a deal involving Antetokounmpo, the return is expected to be salary-matching players and, maybe, small draft compensation," Edwards wrote.
Until the deadline passes, though, fans can't count on seeing Towns on the roster through the postseason.
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