Knicks Analyst Proposes Wizards Trade

The New York Knicks might make a trade with the Washington Wizards.

Nov 18, 2024; New York, New York, USA; Washington Wizards center Jonas Valanciunas (17) spins to the basket against New York Knicks center Jericho Sims (20) during the third quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

The New York Knicks are keeping an eye on the center market just a little over two weeks before the NBA Trade Deadline.

One of the top big men on the market is Washington Wizards center Jonas Valanciunas, and the Knicks could be one of the teams interested in him.

The Athletic insider James Edwards III suggests a trade that would bring Valanciunas to New York for Mitchell Robinson and a pair of 2026 second-round picks.

"My logic here is that the Knicks get a regularly available and steady veteran center who would immediately be a frontcourt upgrade off the bench (assuming Robinson isn’t close to being the player he once was). New York has some second-round picks to spare, so while it’s not ideal to attach assets to move off Robinson, it’s not the end of the world, either. New York would also shave a few million off of its payroll with this move," Edwards writes.

While the offer appears fair on the surface, there's an opportunity for the Knicks and Wizards to get creative with the deal considering the fact that Washington owes New York a protected first-round pick.

"If I were in the Wizards’ shoes, I’d take any Knicks interest in Valanciunas as an opportunity to revisit the terms of the Wizards’ current obligation of sending a protected first-round pick to New York, which, if not conveyed by 2026, would send the Wizards’ second-round picks in 2026 and 2027 to New York. Getting back their own second-round picks would have more value than the second-round picks that James is offering," The Athletic insider Josh Robbins writes.

The Eastern Conference rivals have been trade partners in the past, and they could find themselves in that position again if the two are ready to tango.

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