As the NBA trade deadline approaches, the New York Knicks are once again a team to watch. Sitting in the thick of the Eastern Conference playoff race, the front office is weighing options that could bolster the roster without disrupting the chemistry that’s fueled their recent success. According to multiple league sources, one name that’s caught New York’s attention is Bulls guard Ayo Dosunmu-but bringing him to the Garden won’t come cheap.
Dosunmu is having a strong season in Chicago and is on a manageable $7.5 million salary. He’ll be a free agent this summer unless an extension is worked out, which adds a layer of urgency for any team looking to acquire him.
The Knicks are reportedly fans of his two-way game, but the asking price is steep. One name floated as potential trade capital?
Miles McBride.
McBride, though, isn't just a throw-in. He’s carved out a meaningful role in Tom Thibodeau’s rotation and is on a team-friendly deal-two things that make him valuable not just to the Knicks, but to any team that values cost-controlled talent. That’s why league insiders don’t see a Dosunmu-for-McBride swap as especially likely, even if the Knicks are intrigued by what Dosunmu brings to the table.
Beyond Dosunmu, the Knicks continue to monitor the league’s bigger fish. There’s still interest in Giannis Antetokounmpo, though that remains a long shot.
Part of the reason? The trade value of players like Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges, both of whom have seen their stock dip a bit since landing in New York.
A few rival executives believe Towns isn’t entirely off-limits, but even if he’s moved before the February 5 deadline, it likely won’t be in a blockbuster for Giannis. More likely, it would be a deal focused on salary-matching pieces with possibly some minor draft compensation attached.
That said, a Towns deal isn’t expected. While the Knicks are open to listening, there’s no indication they’re actively shopping the five-time All-Star unless it’s for a franchise-altering return.
Elsewhere on the roster, Guerschon Yabusele continues to be shopped, but his contract is viewed as a negative asset around the league. Most teams aren’t biting unless the Knicks are willing to attach a sweetener-either a young player or a pick.
That makes Yabusele a likely candidate to be included in a larger, multi-team deal, if he’s moved at all. He headlines a group of “most likely to be traded” players that also includes Pacome Dadiet, Tyler Kolek, and veteran guard Jordan Clarkson.
Clarkson, notably, has fallen out of the rotation and could become a buyout candidate after the deadline if no deal materializes.
Then there’s the “could get traded, but don’t bet on it” tier-headlined by Towns, McBride, and Mitchell Robinson. Robinson’s situation is particularly interesting.
He’s been a game-changer when healthy, anchoring the defense and dominating the glass. He’s also on an expiring deal, and while the Knicks have a history of moving such contracts, Robinson’s on-court value makes it hard to justify parting ways-unless the return is too good to pass up.
As for the “don’t even ask unless you’re offering a superstar” group, that includes OG Anunoby, Josh Hart, and Mikal Bridges. These are foundational pieces, the kind of players you build around, not flip unless someone like Antetokounmpo is coming back the other way.
And then there’s Jalen Brunson-the one true untouchable on the roster. He’s the engine of this Knicks team, and the front office knows it.
One intriguing hypothetical floated involves the Knicks acquiring Jose Alvarado and Karlo Matkovic from the Pelicans in exchange for Yabusele, Dadiet, and Washington’s 2026 first-round pick. That pick is top-eight protected and likely to convey as two second-rounders.
Those second-round picks still carry value, and while the deal is small in scale, Alvarado has drawn plenty of interest around the league. He’d bring defensive toughness and energy off the bench-two things Thibodeau never says no to.
The Knicks are playing this deadline smart. They’re active, but not desperate.
They’re exploring upgrades, but not at the cost of their core identity. With a roster that’s finally starting to click and a front office that’s shown a steady hand, New York is in a position of strength.
Whether they make a splash or simply tweak around the edges, they’re not just trying to make noise-they’re trying to make a run.