Knicks Not Looking to Make Blockbuster Trade Before Deadline

The New York Knicks have hit a brutal skid during a recent stretch on the court. Mired in a four-game losing streak and defeated in nine out of their last 11 games, fans are beginning to get restless.

This doesn’t look like the same team on the court that won the 2025 Emirates NBA Cup just about a month ago. There are several reasons for their struggles, including a grueling schedule and injuries to key players.

Alas, even when healthy, as they were against the Dallas Mavericks on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a poor effort was put forth. Struggling in every facet of the game, rumors have begun to swirl that the Knicks could look to swing a trade ahead of the deadline to fix some of their issues.

New York was a team people were keeping an eye on already because of the upgrades on the fringes of their rotation they looked to need. With free agent signing Gueschon Yabusele struggling, an addition to the frontcourt made a lot of sense.

Will Knicks make a move ahead of the NBA trade deadline?

Jan 14, 2026; Sacramento, California, USA; New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) walks off the court after the game against the Sacramento Kings at Golden 1 Center. | Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images

Defensive numbers have plummeted in recent weeks, which raised the need for another defender, preferably one with some size, because of how small the Knicks’ backcourt already is. If that defender came with some playmaking ability in the form of a wing or forward, it would be an ideal addition.

However, with their recent skid and poor level of play, whispers began to get louder that New York could look to really shake up their roster, including one of their core players in a deal.

While the sky is falling for the Knicks, don’t expect a shake-up of that magnitude to be coming. According to Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated, the New York front office isn’t looking to move any of its core guys.

The plan, as it stands, is to ride things out with the current group for the remainder of the season.

That core includes Jalen Brunson, Miles McBride, Mikal Bridges, Josh Hart, OG Anunoby, Karl-Anthony Towns and Mitchell Robinson, the top seven players in their rotation when healthy.

Given their dearth of assets and how close they are to the second apron as a hard-capped team, if they wanted to make a truly impactful addition, one of those players would assuredly have to be included.

While none of the core players are expected to be on the move, that doesn’t necessarily mean the team won’t make a move at all. Rumors have swirled that they are open to including Yabusele and Pacome Dadiet in a deal, along with second-round draft picks, to bring in another rotation player.

It isn’t the strongest trade package, and their current salary situation will limit who they can target, but someone such as Jose Alvarado or Jeremy Sochan would be an ideal fit for a Knicks squad that needs an infusion of athleticism and defensive ability to the rotation.

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