Miles McBride has become one of the more interesting names in Knicks conversations, and the reason is simple: he’s entering the final year of a bargain contract that pays just $3,956,323. At that price, New York has a high-level 3-and-D guard who’s due for a raise, and with James Dolan’s aversion to going into the second apron, a trade has at least become part of the discussion.
An extension could still happen, but if the Knicks can’t lock McBride up long term, one idea makes a lot of sense on paper: call the Orlando Magic and ask about Tristan Da Silva.
The appeal for Orlando is obvious. The Magic need a guard who can stretch the floor, defend, and ease the burden on Desmond Bane so Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner don’t have to carry quite as much of the load.
McBride fits that lane. In 2025-26, he averaged 16.4 points per 36 minutes while shooting 41.3 percent from three.
He’s not a natural playmaker, but he does bring energy on defense and has posted 3.9 assists to 1.0 turnover per 36 minutes over the past two seasons.
That kind of profile would matter for a Magic team that finished No. 24 in three-point field goals made, No. 27 in three-point field goal percentage, and No. 20 in points via guards in 2025-26. McBride could also be in position to land an extension there if he finds a clearer path to minutes.
The tricky part for New York is that Da Silva comes with his own upside. He’s a 6-foot-8 forward, and the Knicks currently have just three wings taller than 6-foot-5 who played consistent minutes in 2025-26. Two of them are starters in OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges, while Mohamed Diawara is still more of a question mark.
Da Silva would give the Knicks something they need: size, wing depth, a real jumper, and dependable off-ball defense. In 2025-26, he averaged 9.9 points and 1.6 threes in 24.7 minutes per game, which works out to 14.4 points and 2.3 threes per 36 minutes. He also took a step forward from 2024-25 to 2025-26, improving by 2.6 points and 0.5 threes per 36 minutes while raising his slash line from .412/.335/.873 to .450/.372/.884.
The defensive indicators are encouraging too. Basketball Index had him in the 74th percentile in off-ball chaser defense, the 77th percentile in ball screen navigation, and the 81st percentile in rim deterrence. He still has work to do on the ball, where he ranked in the 34th percentile in perimeter isolation defense, but the Knicks would have no shortage of veteran help around him with Anunoby, Bridges, and Josh Hart in the mix.
Da Silva also flashed traits that fit a Mike Brown motion offense. He ranked in the 59th percentile in off-ball movement points per 75 possessions and the 63rd percentile in off-ball gravity. Add in the fact that he shot 37.0 percent or better on both catch-and-shoot and pull-up threes, and the case gets stronger.
There’s also the contract angle. Da Silva is owed just $3,991,200 in 2026-27 and has a $6,138,466 club option for 2027-28, making him a low-cost, multi-year piece with room to grow into a starter.
It would sting for both sides. McBride is valuable to the Knicks, and Da Silva is the kind of young wing teams want to keep. But given how each roster is built, this is the rare trade idea that lines up with both teams’ needs, even if nobody involved would love to make it.
In Other News...
Knicks Still Have One Roster Problem They Can't Afford To Patch
The Knicks still have work to do behind Karl-Anthony Towns, and its the kind of roster issue that can linger until the front office decides it no longer can. Backup center has become a clear spot to monitor, with New York looking for a big who can give the second unit some stability without forcing a major overhaul elsewhere on the roster.
There are a few places to watch if the Knicks keep hunting on the trade market, and the field is wide enough to keep this from feeling like a one-team problem. Charlotte, Portland and Sacramento all have frontcourt pieces that could fit what New York needs, with several names on the board as possible answers if the Knicks decide this is the moment to act. [Read more 🡒]
Cavs Just Moved On From A Young Talent Knicks Could Still Unlock
The Knicks still have room to keep tinkering with the back end of the roster, with five spots open and a mix of standard and two-way options available. That kind of flexibility matters this time of year, especially for a team that is trying to balance immediate depth with the longer-term search for a player who can be developed into something more.
Cam Whitmore is one of the more intriguing names in that lane after being waived by Cleveland, and he would fit the profile of a low-risk swing on a young talent with upside. He has already logged three NBA seasons, but consistency has remained the question, which is exactly why a Knicks staff that has shown interest in finding value where other teams have moved on could have a decision to make. [Read more 🡒]
Pacers Face An Early Roster Squeeze Fans Will Notice
As the Knicks head toward the start of the season, a few familiar contract questions are already hanging over the roster. Karl-Anthony Towns and Miles McBride are among the players eligible for extensions, but reports indicate the front office is not expected to move quickly before opening night, with cap management and bigger-picture roster planning shaping the timeline.
The bigger issue for New York may be that patience can come with a cost. Delaying talks keeps the Knicks flexible, but it also leaves notable decisions unresolved while the organization has already seen assistant coach Jordan Brink depart for the Bulls and did not retain Gersson Rosas after his contract expired. For a team trying to stay steady around the edges, the next few weeks could say a lot about how aggressively it wants to lock in its future. [Read more 🡒]