The New York Knicks are still being linked to Pelicans center Yves Missi, but the price tag may be steep enough to keep the conversation in the rumor stage.
Missi has surfaced as a possible center target for multiple teams, including the Raptors, and the Knicks have now entered that mix as well. On a recent episode of the Third Apron Podcast, host Yossi Gozlan and Jake Madison of Locked On Pelicans discussed Missi as a name the Knicks could be monitoring, along with young Hornets big Moussa Diabate.
That interest makes sense on paper. New York moved into the new year without Mitchell Robinson, who had been with the team since being drafted there in 2018 before leaving this summer to join the Boston Celtics.
The Knicks’ current frontcourt group includes Karl-Anthony Towns and offseason signing Andre Drummond, while James Wiseman and Drew Eubanks are on Exhibit 9 contracts and could potentially join the main roster at opening tip-off. Even with that group in place, center depth remains a clear concern.
Missi, meanwhile, brings the kind of profile teams keep circling. Over his two NBA seasons, he has averaged 7.5 points, 7.1 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.4 blocks. He was viewed as a possible upside addition for Toronto last season, with buzz around the trade deadline and again this summer, and his connection with Raptors swingman Ja’Kobe Walter from their Baylor days only added to the appeal.
But the Pelicans have shown little interest in moving him, and Madison noted that Missi, a third-year player on a cheap rookie contract, probably isn’t going anywhere if New York is only offering one or two second-round picks. Unless the Knicks can construct a more complicated pick swap or put their only tradable first-rounder in 2033 on the table, landing him looks far more difficult than it first appeared. There is also the looming extension question, which would matter for any team that trades for him.
For Toronto, the situation is just as tricky. After the Kawhi Leonard trade, the Raptors’ financial picture is only getting tighter, and they would need to match salary or take back less money in any future move.
At the moment, they do not have movable contracts close to Missi’s $3.5 million salary. A deal could theoretically be built by moving a larger contract such as RJ Barrett, Immanuel Quickley or Jakob Poeltl and treating Missi as part of the return, but that would complicate both the cost and the extension picture.
So while Missi remains an appealing target, neither New York nor Toronto looks positioned to add him without some real maneuvering. And if the Knicks can’t get there, that is at least one small win for the Raptors, even if their own path to him is not exactly clear.
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At the same time, Barrett has already given Toronto one of its more memorable recent playoff moments, which makes the situation feel more complicated than a simple salary decision. The Raptors know what he can look like when the stage gets bigger, but the next step is less clear, especially with the possibility that his time in Toronto could reach a crossroads sooner rather than later. [Read more 🡒]