Knicks' Failed Karlo Matkovic Trade Attempt Isn't a Total Loss

The Knicks' center search suffered another blow earlier this month, as SNY's Ian Begley reported that New York was rejected on a trade attempt for Pelicans center Karlo Matković.

The fact that New Orleans already turned Leon Rose away on Yves Missi earlier this offseason, then rebuffed a call on his backup in Matković, paints a pretty clear picture that the Pels won't be a trade partner for the Knicks ahead of the preseason.

However, despite this being another shot at landing a big man that came up short, it shouldn't be viewed as the total end of talks between these teams on Matković. In fact, reaching out could work to New York's advantage in the coming months.

Knicks should bet on Pelicans blinking first in Karlo Matkovic trade talks

The Pelicans are playing hardball when it comes to parting with their centers, at least for now. Leadership in New Orleans seems hopeful that good health will improve the performance of a team that just finished with the eighth-worst record in the league and has made zero rotation changes this entire summer.

That said, there is a strong possibility the good vibes in NOLA may not last long. Current win projections put them around 29 wins, hinting at a campaign with many more downs than ups with this current ill-fitting core. They also have a new head coach in Jamahl Mosely, who got the boot from Orlando after losing his locker room and helping the Magic fumble a 3-1 lead over the Pistons in the 2026 playoffs.

It's only the second season for Joe Dumars and Troy Weaver in the front office, but they're already feeling the heat after a disastrous first year. If the Pelicans start slow with a new coach and fail to recover as their win total suggests, New Orleans will then be thrown into seller territory pretty early on.

Dumars and Weaver can't simply lead the same boat that sinks again, so trading players a few weeks or months into the season is one way they can spin some hope.

That's where New York's recent interest in Matković comes into play. By exploring the third-year big this summer, they've already opened that door with the Pels. Sure, New Orleans closed it, but it's not as if the Pelicans are in a position to lock it and throw away the key for eternity.

Why Pelicans could come back to Knicks about center trade

If it becomes apparent to Dumars and Weaver that the Pels need to shift into more of a rebuilding mode, they'll have to start parting with expendable pieces in favor of future draft assets. That way they can sell fans on a vision of a healthier future and the flexibility to make moves or bring in rookie talent as their next franchise cornerstones.

Matković should be one of the first that comes to mind in the front office. He's already in the last year of his rookie deal, so he's due for a pay increase at a time when NOLA may want to limit future commitments. The 25-year-old doesn't seem to be part of their larger plans, either, considering he had his minutes cut from 18.8 in his first year to only 14.4 this past season.

Karlo Matković shoots the ball. — Karlo Matković potentially not being part of the Pelicans' long-term plans could reopen the door for the Knicks to make a trade offer. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Matković has shown potential that is absolutely worth taking a chance on with a solid 6.0 ppg and 4.2 rpg over his first two seasons. But some teams will also be less motivated to trade for a player who comes with the expectation of a bigger deal the following summer, so New Orleans might not receive adequate offers given the string that's attached to the young center.

The Knicks, however, are well-suited to handle that conundrum in a way most other franchises can't. New York can simply view him as a rental to serve its championship defense needs for 2026-27, and pay a healthy price for him (a player like Pacôme Dadiet and multiple second-rounders) to ensure it addresses its biggest remaining weakness.

This is the luxury Rose has created for himself with his impeccable roster planning. He's crafted an incredible core that allows him to simply focus on rounding out the edges with better depth, so he can operate with a more short-term mindset while the team's title window is still firmly open. Meanwhile, other franchises have to balance trying to win a ring and maintaining future flexibility, which makes players like Matković trickier to trade for.

As a result, the Pelicans could be underwhelmed by what others offer them and come crawling back to the Knicks given their previous interest. Or maybe New Orleans calls New York first once it's willing to part with Matković, given Rose previously paid a fair price for Jose Alvarado at last year's deadline and surely would do so again for center help.

At the very least, the Knicks have put themselves on the callback list with this initial probe, planting a seed that could potentially sprout later on.

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