Knicks Urged to Make Wizards Trade

The New York Knicks and Washington Wizards could become trade partners.

Jan 19, 2025; Sacramento, California, USA; Washington Wizards center Jonas Valanciunas (17) controls the ball against Sacramento Kings center Alex Len (25) during the third quarter at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images | Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images

The New York Knicks have long been linked to the top centers on the trade market, including Washington Wizards big man Jonas Valanciunas.

Bleacher Report writer Zach Buckley suggests a trade that would bring Valanciunas to the Big Apple for Mitchell Robinson and a second-round pick in the 2025 and 2026 drafts.

"Robinson had ankle surgery in May and has been sidelined ever since. The Knicks could have real reservations about his ability to impact the club at all this season," Buckley writes.

"Those same concerns obviously wouldn't exist with Valanciunas, who's been productive and durable just about everywhere he's been. He has his limitations away from the basket at both ends, but he'll still add value with his post scoring, rebounding and screen-setting," he continued. "If New York doesn't mind paying a semi-premium for a backup big man—Robinson is a real asset when healthy—it would put its current roster in better position with this trade."

The Wizards are interested in trading Valanciunas, but they don't need to move on from him since he is under contract for next season as well. That means that the Wizards would need a susbstantial offer to trade him, and that may not be two second-round picks and Robinson for salary filler.

That being said, the Wizards could risk Valanciunas' value dropping between now and next year's trade deadline. Therefore, it may be smart for the Wizards to accept an offer like the one proposed above to ensure that they get good value for Valanciunas, who signed a three-year contract with Washington over the offseason.

Trading for Valanciunas would pierce further into the Knicks' cupboard of limited assets for future drafts, but it would give them a starting-caliber center to come off of the bench and compete against some of the top teams in the league.

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