The Knicks have issues spanning well beyond their head coach search. Their roster isn’t deep enough. They could use more size. And if the right player is available, the Knicks could use a third legitimate star to fuel a run on the backs of a Big 3 at Madison Square Garden.
But how? How can a Knicks team just $8 million below the second apron without any tradable unprotected first-round picks improve the roster in a meaningful way?
The Leon Rose-led front office has its work cut out of it, but make no mistake: The Knicks have assets. The question is how they will use them.
22: BOS 2028 Top-45 protected second-round pick
The Knicks acquired this pick on Draft Night 2025 when they traded Oso Ighodaro to the Phoenix Suns in exchange for Kevin McCullar Jr. plus a second-round pick. This pick will not convey if the Celtics finish outside of the top-15 in the draft order in 2028.
20 + 21: Less favorable of 2028 IND/PHX 2RPs | Less favorable of 2030 IND/WSH 2RPs
These are the pair of second-round picks the Knicks acquired in the deal that sent Obi Toppin to the Indiana Pacers on July 7, 2023. Since the deal, Toppin has become a regular member of the Pacers’ rotation, scoring 18 points in Indiana’s Game 6 closeout victory over New York in the Eastern Conference Finals, plus another 17 points in the Pacers’ stunning Game 1 NBA Finals victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder.
18 + 19: 2nd and 3rd most favorable 2027 2RP between MIA, IND, HOU, OKC
These are two of the second-round picks the Knicks acquired in the Dillon Jones trade with the Oklahoma City Thunder. If the Oklahoma City Thunder and Miami Heat finish with the best and worst records, respectively, of these four teams, the Knicks will own the Pacers’ and Heat second-round picks in 2027.
17: 2025 Pick 50 (via MEM)
The Knicks acquired pick No. 50 (via the Memphis Grizzlies) in the upcoming 2025 NBA Draft also as part of the Dillon Jones trade to the OKC Thunder. ESPN’s Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo have the Knicks selecting Villanova forward Eric Dixon at No. 50 in June.
16: 2026 first-round pick (FRP) swap rights
The Ted Stepien rule — which mandates teams own at least one first-round pick every other season — prevents the Knicks from trading this pick. But they can offer swap rights to a team betting against their short-term future. The issue? If the Knicks are going all-in on a championship now, their window would be open at least through next year’s draft, which means this pick could end up being late in the first round and not worth another team swapping.
14 + 15: Top-8 protected 2026 Wizards FRP
This conditional first-round pick was originally top-14 protected in 2023, top-12 protected in 2024, and top-10 protected in 2025 before its protections loosen to top-8 in 2026. If the Wizards finish in the top-eight of the 2026 NBA Draft order, a pair of second-round picks — Washington’s in 2026 and 2027 — will convey instead of a first-round pick. The Knicks acquired this pick as part of the Ousmane Dieng trade with the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Wizards are coming off of 15- and 18-win seasons, and are expected to continue a long rebuild over a playoff push next season, so the Knicks could market these as valuable second-round picks depending on Washington’s short-term outlook.
13: 2027 own 2RP
This is one of a few of the Knicks’ own draft assets still in their possession, a second-rounder in 2027. A team betting against New York’s short-term future could value this pick higher among the crop of assets, but the Knicks are coming off their first conference finals appearance in 25 years. Even if they don’t win a championship, they will attempt to contend, which means this pick likely falls among the final 7-to-10 in the draft order.
12: Tyler Kolek
Age: 24
Position: PG
Height: 6’3″
Remaining contract: 2 years, $4.5M
2027-28 Team Option: $2.5M
2024-25 stats: 41 GP, 7.2 MIN, 2.0 PTS, 1.7 AST, 32.9% FG, 29.8% 3PT
Notes: Selected 34th overall in 2024 NBA Draft
Kolek was considered an outright theft when he fell to the Knicks four picks into the second round, but buried behind Jalen Brunson, Miles McBride and Cameron Payne, the Marquette product barely saw the court. Do the Knicks view their second-year point guard as part of the plan moving forward, or a trade chip they can use as part of a bigger deal? In limited minutes in his rookie season, Kolek showed poise in short stints running an offense, but also struggled to find his footing on the defensive end.
11: Pacome Dadiet
Age: 20 on July 27
Position: F
Height: 6’7″
Remaining contract: One-year, $2.8M | 2026-27 Team Option: $3M | 2027-28 Team Option: $5.4M
2024-25 stats: 18 GP, 6.2 MIN, 1.7 PTS, 1.0 REB, 32.3% FG, 31.6 3PT%
Notes: Selected 25th overall in 2024 NBA Draft
Dadiet was always viewed as a longer-term project, but the rookie from France never got an extended opportunity to show his game at the pro level. Instead, he toiled away in the G-League while Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby and Josh Hart raked in the minutes. Perhaps the Knicks’ next coach needs to develop a gem hiding in plain sight? Or maybe that’s the potential New York can use to sway a suitor in a trade.
10: 2032 own 2RP
If a team is betting against the Knicks long-term, the 2032 second-round pick is a valuable asset. Brunson, after all, went 33rd in the 2018 NBA Draft, and three-time MVP Nikola Jokic went 41st in 2014. The Knicks used the Detroit Pistons’ 2024 second-round pick instead of a first-round pick to sweeten the offer of R.J. Barrett and Immanuel Quickley for Anunoby. This future second-round pick can be used in a similar fashion.
9: Josh Hart
Age: 30
Position: G-F
Height: 6’4″
Remaining contract: 2 years, $40.4 million | Year 3 Team Option: $22.4M
2024-25 stats: 77 GP, 37.6 MIN*, 13.6 PTS, 9.6 REB*, 5.9 AST*, 1.5 STL*, 52.5% FG, 33.3% 3PT
2024-25 postseason stats: 11.6 PTS, 8.8 REB, 4.4 AST, 1.1 STL, 47.2% FG, 37% 3PT
Notes: NBA Ironman Award Recipient, Second-Team NBA All-Interview, moved to bench in conference finals
Hart is the heart and soul of this Knicks team, but after a disappointing Eastern Conference Finals run — a series Hart himself said he “failed” his team — tough decisions could be on the horizon. Hart led the NBA in rebounds among players shorter than 6-10 and used his gifts to create second-chance opportunities and push the pace for the Knicks last season. The Knicks, however, could look to move him for three reasons: a substandard 33.3% three-point clip, a need to increase in size on the wings, and — if for no other reason — salary cap relief, potentially to split his $20 million average annual salary between two players as a route to add more depth.
8: Miles McBride
Age: 25 on Sep. 8
Position: G
Height: 6’2″
Remaining contract: 2 years, $8.3 million
2024-25 stats: 64 GP, 24.9 MPG*, 9.5 PTS*, 2.9 AST*, 2.5 REB*, 1.0 STL*, 40.6% FG, 36.9% 3PT
2024-25 postseason stats: 18.9 MIN, 5.8 PTS, 37.8% FG, 37.3% 3PT, 0.4 STL
After trading Quickley to the Raptors in the Anunoby deal, the hope was McBride could slot right in as a scoring guard off the bench who doubled as a relentless point of attack defender. They were big shoes to fill for a Sixth Man of the Year runner-up. McBride did not receive any Sixth Man votes this season as Boston’s Payton Pritchard ran away with the award. The Knicks need their backup guard to close the gap and provide steady offense off the bench — or they could use him as a valuable asset. On a team-friendly deal with potential not shown behind Brunson in the starting lineup, another team could take a flyer on the two-way guard in a bigger role elsewhere.
7: 2030 own FRP pick swap (or outright)
The Stepien Rule prevents the Knicks from trading this pick, but a pick swap in this draft could be seen as a valuable asset for an organization betting on an early implosion at Madison Square Garden. The Knicks could make this pick available for trade outright if they acquire an unprotected first-round pick in 2029.
6: Mitchell Robinson
Age: 27
Position: C
Height: 7’0″
Remaining contract: One-year, $12.9 million
2024-25 stats: 17 GP**, 17.1. MIN **, 5.1 PTS**, 5.7 REB**, 1.1 BLK**. 66% FG, 68% FT*
2024-25 postseason stats: 20.6 MIN, 4.7 PTS, 7.1 REB, 0.9 STL, 0.8 BLK, 39.3% FT,
Notes: Bumped into starting lineup with season on the line; extension-eligible
If only the Knicks had a healthy Robinson from training camp, and not from late February. Robinson’s second stress fracture in his left ankle cost him 10 months of action, and by the time he returned — and returned for good — he turned a bottom-10 Knicks defense into one of the ten-best in basketball to close the year. If the Knicks are building around Karl-Anthony Towns, extending Robinson as a defensive anchor a la Rudy Gobert could be their best shot at keeping the interior intact. But never say never: Robinson is the longest-tenured Knick, and if the right deal is on the table, expect the Knicks to do whatever it takes to match the salaries needed to bring a championship-caliber roster to The Garden.
5: OG Anunoby
Age: 28 on July 17
Position: F
Height: 6’7″
Opportunity cost: R.J. Barrett, Immanuel Quickley, 2024 Detroit second-round pick
Remaining contract: 3 years, $127.5M | 2027-28 Player Option: $48.4M | Trade Kicker: 15 percent
2024-25 stats: 74 GP*, 36.6 MIN*, 18 PTS*, 4.8 REB, 2.2 AST, 1.5 STL, 0.9 BLK, 47.6% FG, 37.2% 3PT
2024-25 postseason stats: 39.2 MIN, 16.3 PTS, 4.6 REB, 1.3 AST, 2.0 STL, 1.2 BLK, 41.7% FG**, 33.9% 3PT**
Notes: Signed to franchise-record $212.5M contract; coming off healthiest season in career, 65-32 record with Anunoby in lineup since Raptors trade
Anunoby is still a shut-down defender. He is coming off the best offensive season of his career. And his 2024-25 season is the first time he’s played 74 games since his rookie year. The contract is of note, because if the Knicks are going to acquire a marquee talent like Giannis Antetokounmpo without parting ways with Brunson or Towns, Anunoby’s salary is the next-biggest on the payroll to help facilitate such a deal. Do the Knicks go swinging for the fences? Or do they improve around the margins and hope another coach can get this group over the hump? And are there any takers for Anunoby’s mammoth contract for a non-cornerstone player? The ex-Raptor has proven he’s still a high-impact player. Whether or not his impact is in orange-and-blue remains to be seen.
4: 2032 own FRP swap (or outright)
This is the Knicks’ most valuable draft asset: their furthest-out first-round pick in 2032. The Stepien Rule prohibits the Knicks from trading this pick — but if they are able to acquire an unprotected 2031 first-round pick in a trade, the 2032 pick becomes eligible for trade. A team betting the Knicks will contend in the years to come and rebuild in the seasons to follow will highly covet this pick, and swap rights are more valuable here than the any first-rounder the Knicks have on their books.
3: Mikal Bridges
Age: 29 on Aug. 30
Position: G-F
Height: 6’6″
Opportunity cost: 2025, 2027, 2029, 2031 own first-round picks, 2025 Milwaukee first-round pick, 2028 own first-round pick swap, 2026 own second-round pick
Remaining contract: One year, $24.9 million | Extension eligible: 4 years, $156.1 million
2024-25 stats: 82 GP, 37 MIN*, 17.6 PTS, 3.7 AST, 3.2 REB**, 0.9 STL**, 50% FG, 35.4% 3PT
2024-25 postseason stats: 15.6 PTS, 4.5 REB, 2.9 AST, 1.7 STL*, 0.9 BLK, 2.1 TOV*, 45.6% FG, 33.3% 3PT**
Notes: Has never missed a game
Bridges had a roller-coaster ride season, but the facts are damning:
- The Knicks traded five picks to the Nets to acquire him
- Bridges didn’t live up to expectations on either end of the court
- And he has one year left on his contract before he can walk away in unrestricted free agency in the summer of 2026
So the Knicks need to re-sign Bridges — even if he had a down season — or trade him in an effort to rebuild the roster in ways they could have with the picks surrendered tot he Nets. Perhaps another coach can maximize Bridges talents on both ends of the floor, though it’s clear his ball-stopping abilities may be better served in areas other than point of attack defense.
2: Karl-Anthony Towns
Age: 29 on Nov. 15
Position: C
Height: 7’0″
Opportunity cost: Julius Randle, Donte DiVincenzo, 2025 Pistons first-round pick
Remaining contract: 3 years, $171.2 million ($57M AAV) | Extension eligible: 3 years, $212M
2024-25 stats: 72 GP, 24.4 PTS, 12.8 REB*, 3.1 AST, 52.6% FG, 42% 3PT
2024-25 postseason stats: 21.4 PTS, 11.6 REB, 1.3 AST, 2.2 TOV, 4.3 PF, 48.8% FG, 35.1% 3PT
Notes: 2025 NBA All-Star starter, 2025 Third Team All-NBA, 5-time All-Star, 3-Time Third Team All-NBA, 2022 3-Point Champion
It’s hard to pin a season’s worth of defensive shortcomings on Towns. The Knicks knew what they were getting when they dealt Randle and DiVincenzo to the Wolves last summer to land one of the league’s most gifted offensive centers. Yet it’s even more difficult to win high-leverage basketball games with two pressure points on the defensive end. Towns and Brunson were nearly unplayable together in the conference finals against a Pacers team that targeted one of New York’s two stars with regularity. Do the Knicks look at Towns for all he’s done, or look to trade him for the areas he’s come up short?
1: Jalen Brunson
Age: 29 on Aug. 31
Position: PG
Height: 6’2″
Remaining contract: 4 years, $156.5 million ($39.1M AAV)
2024-25 stats: 65 GP, 26 PTS, 7.3 AST, 48.8% FG, 38.3% 3PT
2024-25 postseason stats: 29.4 PTS, 7.0 AST, 3.1 TOV*, 46.1% FG, 35.8% 3PT
Notes: 2025 NBA All-Star starter, 2025 Second Team All-NBA, 2025 NBA Clutch Player of the Year, 2-Time All-Star (2024-25), 2-Time Second Team All-NBA (2024-25)
The captain. Captain Clutch. The King of New York.
This ship goes as Jalen Brunson goes. But it capsized in the playoffs in part due to his shortcomings. Brunson is setting playoff scoring records on fire. But he can be a ball magnet. He is a below average defender. And he became surprisingly turnover-prone in the conference finals, under the pressure of the bright lights and Indiana’s smothering defense. Can the Knicks prioritize ball movement with the league’s leading dribbler? Can they find ways to plug the defensive holes so evident around their two stars? This front office has already proven it is willing to make the tough decisions and moved on from the head coach who brought the most successful basketball season to MSG in the last quarter-century.
Would the front office deal the face of its franchise? The organization says it is singularly focused on winning a championship. Only time will tell what the Knicks do in an attempt to get there.
