A historic 54-point win over the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday eased some of the mounting pressure on the New York Knicks.
But for a team with championship aspirations, there’s no denying that the Knicks’ recent stretch of performances has been concerning. New York (26-18) has lost ground in the race for one of the top two seeds in the Eastern Conference, and the Knicks are as close to the #6 seed as they are home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs.
Due to this, speculation is growing that the Knicks will look to make a blockbuster deal before the NBA’s Feb. 5 trade deadline, specifically one that will address their ailing defense. A trade proposal from Dan Favale at Bleacher Report may provide the solution.
Favale predicts that the Knicks will deal All-Star big man Karl-Anthony Towns to the Orlando Magic in a three-team trade that would bring defensive “sicko” Jalen Suggs to the Big Apple.
- Knicks receive: Wendell Carter Jr., Haywood Highsmith, Jalen Suggs
- Magic receive: Karl-Anthony Towns, Day’Ron Sharpe
- Nets receive: Jonathan Isaac, Jett Howard, 2026 first-round pick (from Washington Wizards; top-eight protection; turns into 2026 and 2027 seconds if not conveyed; via New York), 2028 second-round pick (least favorable of Indiana and Phoenix; via New York), 2030 second-round pick (more favorable of Orlando and New Orleans; via Orlando), 2031 first-round swap (via Orlando)
Suggs may profile as just an average shooter who is owed $115.5 million over the next four years, but his defensive intensity and supplemental ball handling could be a big help to Jalen Brunson in the Knicks backcourt.
Moreover, the Magic have a ready-made, in-house replacement for Suggs in Anthony Black, who has a year left on his rookie contract after this one. Further, Orlando’s defensive system could “insulate” Towns amid his overexposure in New York.
Orlando is a cost-conscious organization though and may balk at taking on the two years and $118 million still on Towns’ contract. Even still, the fit would be interesting for a Magic team that has been beset by injuries and sits seventh in the East.
