Rumors
NY Knicks Rumors: The Latest Knicks News and Rumors from this Offseason
The New York Knicks have been one of the most active players during the 2022 offseason. For now the news has subsided, but for how long. At times, it felt like the Knicks were rumored in nearly every trade discussion in the NBA. To help you keep track, we are consolidating all NY Knicks rumors and free agency news.
We will summarize the latest New York Knicks trade rumors and news, and look back at the countless rumors that never culminated into anything.
It’s New York, and it’s the Knicks, people love to fantasize, so the rumors will never end. We can at least help them make sense of them.
Let’s get started with NY Knicks rumors from the 2022 offseason.
Knicks rumors that didn’t happen
Donovan Mitchell to the Knicks, Julius Randle to LA in three-team trade
One of the most talked about trades in recent memory was Donovan Mitchell to the Knicks. There were many free agency rumors about how this deal might take shape, but one of the closest one to landing was a the three-team trade involving the Knicks, Jazz and Lakers.
The rumored deal would land Mitchell in New York, Russell Westbrook in Utah and a combination of players in Los Angeles. Most notably Julius Randle, Patrick Beverley or Bojan Bogdanovic.
If you want read more about this Knicks rumor, you can find a deep dive here at Knicks Central.
Kevin Durant to the Knicks
Three years ago, Kevin Durant was considering the Knicks as a potential free agent destination. Obviously, that deal did not come to fruition and he landed in Brooklyn. This has been a blessing for the Knicks faithful. But here we are, three years later, and the reports have began to surface again.
Sports Illustrated and other media outlets have begun reporting on a potential deal, which would see Kevin Durant move to the real New York. It all began after Kevin Durant put the Nets owner, Joe Tsai, on notice, saying it’s either him or the front office.
In my opinion, a Kevin Durant move to the Knicks would have been calamitous to the organization. All the work the Knicks front office has done to build the culture would have been at risk. Durant is the best player in the NBA right now. He would be the bonafide superstar the Knicks have been searching for, but at what cost.
A deal for Kevin Durant requires a win now mindset. In New York, the Knicks have not reached that place. The Knicks have prioritized the development of their young talent. Moving forward with a Kevin Durant trade would change that plan drastically. Picture the Lakers signing any and all available vets with the promises of a championship.
Having said that, at least you have a genuine chance to win.
Related: Understand NBA Bird Rights and Free Agency
Julius Randle and Evan Fournier to LA for Russell Westbrook and picks
In a salary dump move for the Lakers, this Knicks rumor sends Randle and Fournier to LA, in exchange for Russell Westbrook and a first round pick.
Russell Westbrook has fallen out of favor with the Lakers front office and fans. His poor performance last season was a big reason why the Lakers missed out on the playoffs. Westbrook is a difficult piece to move, due to his $47million contract owed this upcoming season. But with that said, the Knicks also have players that have fallen out of favor, on big contracts and in need of a new home.
The trade would reunite Randle in LA and give the Lakers some much needed depth and shooting. In an article by Bleacher Report, they note the Lakers could be forced into a deal to offload Westbrook’s contract.
For the Knicks, this is not a bad deal. Fournier and Randle combine for a $41million obligation, and making this deal would give the Knicks considerable cap flexibility. The Knicks could comfortably sign RJ Barrett to a max deal, even with a potential Donovan Mitchell trade to New York.
The cap space as a result of this trade, would put the Knicks in a position to sign another top tier free agent to pair with Barrett and Mitchell. You can see a breakdown of potential 2024 free agent candidate here at Knicks Central.
Cam Reddish to LA in Westbrook deal
In another variation of the three-team trade, this Knicks rumor could see Cam Reddish find his way to LA. The Lakers have shared interest in Reddish for some time. They pursued him last season during the trade deadline. Read more about this potential move here in our deep dive of the deal.
As you can see, there are NY Knicks rumors still on the table. This is a far cry away from the typical Knicks offseason, so I think Leon Rose and the job the front office have done a remarkable job. They have put the Knicks is a position to be true contenders to land the leagues top talent.
Related: The Trade That Haunts Knicks Nation: Revisiting the Andrea Bargnani Disaster of 2013
Knicks free agency rumors still on the table
Carmelo Anthony Reunited with the Knicks
Momentum continues on the Knicks trade rumor that Carmelo Anthony will have a farewell tour in New York. This move has been on the table for some time now, but no move yet to be made. Ian Begly in an interview on his SNY show The Putback, suggested that if Anthony is looking for a reunion, then New york must be on the table.
“If Carmelo wanted to comeback and especially have his final year in the NBA here, my understanding is that was on the table, and I haven’t heard anything about that being off the table.”
Ian Begly
There is still a lot of wood to chop on this one. Other deals may need to be secured first according to some comments, although it does seem to have legitimacy.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to Knicks
Since the collapse of the Donovan Mitchell trade, this is one of the NY Knicks rumors that have continued to gain momentum.
Now that Mitchell is no longer available, the media is pushing the Gilgeous-Alexander to the Knicks narrative. As a result, it has been gathering steam. All major sporting sites have begun reporting the news, including Daily Knicks and Sports Illustrated.
You would be hard pressed to find a team, yet alone the Knicks, that wouldn’t want Shai on their team. The free agency rumors have stemmed from the fact that OKC are continuing to push the rebuild. So much so, there has been speculation that the Thunder might even hold there best players back.
The Knicks certainly have the assets necessary to make a deal happen. The same assets that were valuable to the Jazz in the Mitchell trade, are valuable to OKC in a trade for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. We have yet to dig into the concept of what Shai New York Knicks trade would mean, but overall, it will have the same result as Mitchell would have had. Too many assets required to get the deal done, while the team doesn’t improve enough to contend for a title.
Knicks free agency summary
We hope we can provide some insight and perspective to the countless rumors that hit social every day. We will continue to update Knicks fans on NY Knicks rumors here at Knicks Central.
