Trades and Transactions Thread - 2025 Season Discussion

[thebuzzardman]

Both Hart and Mitch are incredibly valuable role players and should be going nowhere.

I was hyping up a Kessler+Sexton for Mitch+Deuce type of trade, but Mitch is a monster when healthy, so that’s turned into no from me. I like what we have. Maybe attempt to add Donte, move Hart to the bench, add a second 7-footer like Holmes, water the plants and we’ll be fine.

They are good role players, but if you don't trade them for the obvious big roster change that is needed, who is it?

Brunson?
KAT?
Mikal?

There aren't any real assets. And the Knicks aren't LA, where the league office calls up the other teams GM and says "Yeah, make that trade happen"

I don’t think a big trade is what we need. Who’s your target? Who’s better at their salary?

I have no idea. I have enough trouble keeping track of my ever shifting takes.

[WargamesX]

Math. We will be at 190mil with 10 players. The second apron is 207mil. You take 207 and subtract 190 and that leaves you with 17. When Mikals extension is due the cap goes up another 15.4mil.

Assuming things doesn't make them so but, do your own math. You just filled 4 spots using 7.9mil. that would leave us with about 9mil and one roster spot left. Not sure how you keep Precious bird rights for 3mil but, whatever.

According to Sportrac, we have 196,3M invested in 10 players for next season.
Brunson/Kolek
Mikal/Deuce
OG/
Hart/Pacome
KAT/MItch/Huk

That leaves us with a room of 11.5MM below the 2nd apron (207,8).

We can sign 2 SR or undrafted rookies for 1,35M each. Then, we can split the remaining 8,8M on Precious (by Bird Rights) and a Tax MLE player (up to 5,7M). Eventually, we can use the leftovers to sign a 15th player (pro rata min salary).

Another option is to sign 2 min salary vet players for 2,3M each. Then, use the remaining 6,9M to sign Precious or a Tax MLE player. Eventually, we can use the leftovers to sign a 15th player (pro rata min salary).

Oh. I had the wrong numbers. Awesome. We have even less money. That's always great. Where did I see 190? Must have been a tweet. I looked on bbref and got the 196+ number as well. That sucks ass.

Makes things worse than I previously thought. We are doomed. Blow it up for draft picks and start over!

If I had to chose an option I think they go option #1. If they have to go over the 2nd apron for one year to add a Tax MLE player and in theory S&T Precious I think they do it. It’s not ideal, but I could see it. I could also see them waiving Huk, Trading Mitch (depending on his value), or Trading Kolek/Dadiet. We don’t have the kind of assets where improving the roster isn’t going to hurt.

The good news is this is a “struggle” FA that means outside of the Nets and maybe Detroit nobody has a lot of money to spend. The Knicks could get 1 or 2 quality FA for the money they do have.

Even if the Knicks can generate about $13 mil in contracts between the Tax payer MLE and a Precious S&T, they could round out the roster. I don’t want to speculate on who because the next thing you know we’ll see YouTube videos dropping names, but all is not lost mostly because cap space is going to be at a all time low this summer.

[spree2kawhi]

They are good role players, but if you don't trade them for the obvious big roster change that is needed, who is it?

Brunson?
KAT?
Mikal?

There aren't any real assets. And the Knicks aren't LA, where the league office calls up the other teams GM and says "Yeah, make that trade happen"

I don’t think a big trade is what we need. Who’s your target? Who’s better at their salary?

I have no idea. I have enough trouble keeping track of my ever shifting takes.

So much to keep track of in life. Just let go..

[WargamesX]

I know it’s going to be a small sample but Wright might be a short term keeper at backup PG. Kolek obviously is the long term guy for that role but I don’t think he is going to be read to be that by next season.

[NoDopeOnSundays]

If they're going to guard Hart with a big, take him off the floor and play two bigs so that at least Clingan has to worry about boxing someone out. Bring him back in when they take Clingan off the floor.


Edit - Trade Hart for a player that can hit the three.

[GettinitDone]

Watch on YouTube

Can we get Emoni Bates on the cheap? Intrigued...

[R-DAWG]

Tax payer MLE is around 6 mil I believe? We should have around 17 mil to bring in at least 4 players and stay under the 2nd apron. My assumption has been they probably go over the 2nd apron the following season and ride out everyone's deals after that. Then they don't lose the pick or whatever that stupid rule is.

How are you getting to 17mm? Spotrac has us 11.5MM below the 2nd apron with 10 roster spots filled.

Assume two spots are a 2nd rd pick (1.3mm) and vet min (2.3mm). The you want to keep Precious bird rights at say $3mm for future trade purposes. That leaves $4.9mm out of the taxpayer MLE available and puts us right at the 2nd apron.

It’s very tight, and once Mikal’s extension kicks in the following year it’s 2 straight years in the 2nd apron before a roster re-set in the summer of 28

Math. We will be at 190mil with 10 players. The second apron is 207mil. You take 207 and subtract 190 and that leaves you with 17. When Mikals extension is due the cap goes up another 15.4mil.

Assuming things doesn't make them so but, do your own math. You just filled 4 spots using 7.9mil. that would leave us with about 9mil and one roster spot left. Not sure how you keep Precious bird rights for 3mil but, whatever.

Your math is wrong. According to Spotrac we are at 196m for 10 players.

Also - keeping Precious bird rights at $3mm is singing him to a 3mm contract not a 2.3mm vet min contract.

[WargamesX]

How are you getting to 17mm? Spotrac has us 11.5MM below the 2nd apron with 10 roster spots filled.

Assume two spots are a 2nd rd pick (1.3mm) and vet min (2.3mm). The you want to keep Precious bird rights at say $3mm for future trade purposes. That leaves $4.9mm out of the taxpayer MLE available and puts us right at the 2nd apron.

It’s very tight, and once Mikal’s extension kicks in the following year it’s 2 straight years in the 2nd apron before a roster re-set in the summer of 28

Math. We will be at 190mil with 10 players. The second apron is 207mil. You take 207 and subtract 190 and that leaves you with 17. When Mikals extension is due the cap goes up another 15.4mil.

Assuming things doesn't make them so but, do your own math. You just filled 4 spots using 7.9mil. that would leave us with about 9mil and one roster spot left. Not sure how you keep Precious bird rights for 3mil but, whatever.

Your math is wrong. According to Spotrac we are at 196m for 10 players.

Also - keeping Precious bird rights at $3mm is singing him to a 3mm contract not a 2.3mm vet min contract.

Honestly forecasting 2026’s FA when a lot of teams are suppose to have cap space, and we see yet another 10% cap space increase. If they have to choose Idk if the FO maintains Precious S&T contract another season. I think they’ll either S&T Precious this off-season, or they will waive his cap hold and make the moves needed to use the Tax Payer MLE to essentially give his contract to someone else.

[spree2kawhi]

How are you getting to 17mm? Spotrac has us 11.5MM below the 2nd apron with 10 roster spots filled.

Assume two spots are a 2nd rd pick (1.3mm) and vet min (2.3mm). The you want to keep Precious bird rights at say $3mm for future trade purposes. That leaves $4.9mm out of the taxpayer MLE available and puts us right at the 2nd apron.

It’s very tight, and once Mikal’s extension kicks in the following year it’s 2 straight years in the 2nd apron before a roster re-set in the summer of 28

Math. We will be at 190mil with 10 players. The second apron is 207mil. You take 207 and subtract 190 and that leaves you with 17. When Mikals extension is due the cap goes up another 15.4mil.

Assuming things doesn't make them so but, do your own math. You just filled 4 spots using 7.9mil. that would leave us with about 9mil and one roster spot left. Not sure how you keep Precious bird rights for 3mil but, whatever.

Your math is wrong. According to Spotrac we are at 196m for 10 players.

Also - keeping Precious bird rights at $3mm is singing him to a 3mm contract not a 2.3mm vet min contract.

Achiuwa shouldn’t take such a deal man, he’s more than capable of averaging a double-double on a bad team.

[HopelessKnick]

I think the most likely scenario if this does not work out next season is a KAT trade. JB and OG are close to untouchable and Bridges will be difficult to move because of politics (he cost so much you would have to get a terrific deal). Looking how much better OG and Bridges are when taking on a bigger offensive role I think turning KAT into 2 players may be the adjustment needed down the road. Like for a PF that can defend and shoot (Siakam/Adebayo type level on offense/defense) and a role playing guard that can playmake.

I personally really like KAT's game and he is an offensive juggernaut and great rebounder and all and I don't regret the trade because I really disliked Randle (from a character standpoint), but it is really a bit up for debate if we truly got much better.

[spree2kawhi]

Watch on YouTube

Can we get Emoni Bates on the cheap? Intrigued...

Intriguing, but he’s not a defensive player at all and that isn’t a good start. Microwave scoring is so overrated, and I don’t think this guy can overcome his physical deficiencies. Give him a try, but I’d say this level of play requires more.

It is also why I dislike all those comments discrediting our roster, because I think we have put great, versatile guys around Brunson at every position.

[3toheadmelo]

Do we have any picks left to attach when we trade KAT for Giannis?

[WargamesX]

I think the most likely scenario if this does not work out next season is a KAT trade. JB and OG are close to untouchable and Bridges will be difficult to move because of politics (he cost so much you would have to get a terrific deal). Looking how much better OG and Bridges are when taking on a bigger offensive role I think turning KAT into 2 players may be the adjustment needed down the road. Like for a PF that can defend and shoot (Siakam/Adebayo type level on offense/defense) and a role playing guard that can playmake.

I personally really like KAT's game and he is an offensive juggernaut and great rebounder and all and I don't regret the trade because I really disliked Randle (from a character standpoint), but it is really a bit up for debate if we truly got much better.

I think we have to change the coach first. Also we 100% need to find a PF who can defend and shoot. I really think a lot of this rosters issues is Josh Hart at the starting 2 instead of Mikal at SG and OG at PF. Though you could also argue KAT at PF and Mitch at Center fixes most of that same issue as well.

[JayTWill]

According to Sportrac, we have 196,3M invested in 10 players for next season.
Brunson/Kolek
Mikal/Deuce
OG/
Hart/Pacome
KAT/MItch/Huk

That leaves us with a room of 11.5MM below the 2nd apron (207,8).

We can sign 2 SR or undrafted rookies for 1,35M each. Then, we can split the remaining 8,8M on Precious (by Bird Rights) and a Tax MLE player (up to 5,7M). Eventually, we can use the leftovers to sign a 15th player (pro rata min salary).

Another option is to sign 2 min salary vet players for 2,3M each. Then, use the remaining 6,9M to sign Precious or a Tax MLE player. Eventually, we can use the leftovers to sign a 15th player (pro rata min salary).

Oh. I had the wrong numbers. Awesome. We have even less money. That's always great. Where did I see 190? Must have been a tweet. I looked on bbref and got the 196+ number as well. That sucks ass.

Makes things worse than I previously thought. We are doomed. Blow it up for draft picks and start over!

If I had to chose an option I think they go option #1. If they have to go over the 2nd apron for one year to add a Tax MLE player and in theory S&T Precious I think they do it. It’s not ideal, but I could see it. I could also see them waiving Huk, Trading Mitch (depending on his value), or Trading Kolek/Dadiet. We don’t have the kind of assets where improving the roster isn’t going to hurt.

The good news is this is a “struggle” FA that means outside of the Nets and maybe Detroit nobody has a lot of money to spend. The Knicks could get 1 or 2 quality FA for the money they do have.

Even if the Knicks can generate about $13 mil in contracts between the Tax payer MLE and a Precious S&T, they could round out the roster. I don’t want to speculate on who because the next thing you know we’ll see YouTube videos dropping names, but all is not lost mostly because cap space is going to be at a all time low this summer.

Using the taxpayer MLE automatically caps the team at the 2nd apron. I'm also unsure how attractive the taxpayer MLE is to players around the league since only Saric signed for it last year but it was just year 1 of the new more restrictive CBA changes. The Knicks had the taxpayer MLE last year and didn't find any takers. I believe it was reported the Knicks had interest in Tyus Jones for whatever reason but he chose the vet min ($3M for his years of experience) and a bigger role in Phoenix.

They ended up giving Precious the money remaining under the 2nd apron on a 1 year deal with him waiving the non-trade clause which made me think he was going to be traded this year but maybe that wasn't the plan or they couldn't find a good deal. I'm really curious to see how they navigate this off-season since they were unable to fill out the roster with some of the same options available last off-season but the picture of the team may be clearer this time.

[Wildcat]

I know it’s going to be a small sample but Wright might be a short term keeper at backup PG. Kolek obviously is the long term guy for that role but I don’t think he is going to be read to be that by next season.

Wright isn't a true PG. And he's probably not on this team next season. I think we're all expecting Kolek to take over backup duties next season. I like to see Deuce operate when he's not expected to play make.

[Wildcat]

Do we have any picks left to attach when we trade KAT for Giannis?

2026 I think.

[Jalen Bluntson]

Math. We will be at 190mil with 10 players. The second apron is 207mil. You take 207 and subtract 190 and that leaves you with 17. When Mikals extension is due the cap goes up another 15.4mil.

Assuming things doesn't make them so but, do your own math. You just filled 4 spots using 7.9mil. that would leave us with about 9mil and one roster spot left. Not sure how you keep Precious bird rights for 3mil but, whatever.

Your math is wrong. According to Spotrac we are at 196m for 10 players.

Also - keeping Precious bird rights at $3mm is singing him to a 3mm contract not a 2.3mm vet min contract.

Honestly forecasting 2026’s FA when a lot of teams are suppose to have cap space, and we see yet another 10% cap space increase. If they have to choose Idk if the FO maintains Precious S&T contract another season. I think they’ll either S&T Precious this off-season, or they will waive his cap hold and make the moves needed to use the Tax Payer MLE to essentially give his contract to someone else.

Yeah. That was corrected already.

Precious is not taking a pay cut like that. That's half what he's making now. I can absolutely see them doing a sign and trade if they can find a buyer. Then again, no teams have any cap space to spend so Precious might be have to. I don't see them doing that to him though. You can bet they are going to do everything they can to stay under the 2nd apron this summer.

The idea of signing two 2RPs that won't play unless we find a stud is a little disheartening. We already have 4 rookies not playing and, we all know whatever vet mini players we sign will play ahead of everyone else. Thibs just doesn't care. Wright over Kolek is another example of this.

I'll let the FO worry about that stuff. I am tired of constantly looking at apron rules and trying to make sense of it all every time we need to make a move. I trust the FO enough at this point.

[8516knicks]

Watch on YouTube

Can we get Emoni Bates on the cheap? Intrigued...

Isn't Bates the guy who flubbed his frosh college season after being hyped as best? Could be a poor man's Cam Reddish and that's not saying much.

[sol537]

Do we have any picks left to attach when we trade KAT for Giannis?

2026 I think.

I think Giannis asks out and we then send KAT + Hart + pick for Giannis + Porter.

Then we extend Mikal.

We keep Mitch and Huk as our centers while we try to get another stretch big during the season.

Kolek takes Payne's minutes. McCullar/Dadiet carve out 10-15 mins off the bench (one of them).

Lastly, we part ways with Thibs and bring Dan Hurley or Johnnie Bryant in.

Giannis + Brunson lead us to our first title in 50+ years.

/end prediction mode

[Knicksfan1992]

I think it's way more likely we send OG out to get Giannis than it is we send KAT. KAT and Giannis make a ton of sense to me as a frontcourt pairing especially as Giannis continues to age. His future is as a 5 defensively IMO. Milwaukee might not want KAT's big number and he's going to be on the wrong side of 30 by the time Giannis becomes available.

OG, I think, is a better asset to a team looking to rebuild than KAT is. It's a much more tradeable contract at his number. He fits in almost any team construction. And they could look to do what Portland did with Jrue in the Dame trade which is flip OG to the highest bidder.

OG and Mitch's expiring next year basically gets you there. I think there's some small cap machinations Brock Aller would have to finagle but that would be the framework IMO.

I also think Bridges+Hart+McBride gets you close as well but that might be gutting the team too much for our liking.

Either way I've said it before but if there is even a sniff of a chance at Giannis then, Leon & co need to explore every avenue to get it done. He's already hinted at being allured to the big markets.