Knicks, Hornets Could Become Trade Partners

The New York Knicks could make a trade with the Charlotte Hornets soon.

Mar 7, 2023; New York, New York, USA; Charlotte Hornets center Mark Williams (5) dunks the ball during the first quarter against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

The New York Knicks and the rest of the NBA are keeping an eye on what the Charlotte Hornets are going to do in the offseason.

The Hornets have been one of the worst teams in the league this season, and a shakeup could be taking place, according to Bleacher Report writer Grant Hughes.

"The Charlotte Hornets are a lock to finish with one of this season's four worst records and will pick near the top of a well-regarded 2025 draft. That's "they're rebuilding" giveaway No. 1, and it's followed by several decisions — trading for bad money with picks attached, nosing their way into three-team deals in order to pick up assets — that suggest the Hornets believe they're still in the early stages of reconstruction," Hughes writes.

"Moving [Mark] Williams (again) and [Miles] Bridges would make perfect sense, but trading [LaMelo] Ball would be a bigger surprise. He's only 23, nearly made his second All-Star team this season and is exactly the kind of offensive engine who could foster growth in young, supporting pieces.

"However, he's also on the books for an average of $40.8 million through 2028-29 and might not be the cultural tone-setter that Charlotte wants."

While Bridges and Ball don't quite fit the Knicks' vision, Williams does. The oft-injured center was traded by the Hornets to the Los Angeles Lakers ahead of the trade deadline, but the deal was nixed after Williams failed his physical.

Since the trade, Williams has played in nine games for the Hornets, recording double-doubles in six of those contests.

If Charlotte looks to revisit a trade in the offseason and New York still finds itself unhappy with its center situation, a deal between the two sides could take place.

The Knicks would likely need to give up a key rotation player or two to make it happen, but it could be the move that gets New York firmly in the title contender discussion.

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