Knicks, Magic Trade Idea: Mo Bamba to New York?

The Orlando Magic and New York Knicks could be ideal trade partners ahead of the Feb. 9 deadline.

Jeremy Brener | Jan 19, 2023

Knicks, Magic Trade Idea: Mo Bamba to New York? /

With just three weeks to go before the NBA trade deadline, teams are scrambling to find a deal to help their teams grow, including the Orlando Magic.

We are going to help out the Magic with a trade scenario that makes sense for the team and the New York Knicks, a team looking to improve and make a playoff run.

Here's the trade:

Knicks receive: Mo Bamba

Magic receive: Isaiah Hartenstein, Cam Reddish

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Mo Bamba, a New York native, is under a two-year deal with non-guaranteed money for next season. As a floor spacer, Bamba is shooting over 37 percent from three this season. The Knicks rank 26th in the NBA in three-point percentage, a number they will need to improve if they want to contend in the playoffs this season.

By trading Bamba to the Knicks, it eliminates a mini-logjam for the Magic.

Bamba would likely come off the bench for the Knicks, replacing Hartenstein's spot in the rotation. The Magic has been connected to Hartenstein before, reportedly showing interest in the 24-year-old big man in free agency.

However, trading Bamba for Hartenstein straight up doesn't do much for the Magic.

To sweeten the pot, the Knicks need to include something else, either picks or Cam Reddish.

Reddish, 23, is a restricted free agent this offseason and the Magic would get the first chance to match any offer he could receive in free agency. After falling out of the Knicks rotation, Reddish is looking for his third NBA home in as many years. He has tremendous talent as a former top high school recruit and lottery pick, but the fit has not been right in his stops with the Atlanta Hawks and Knicks.

The back half of the season is worth a trial run for the Magic and Reddish, and should he perform well, he could fixture into the rotation for next season and beyond.

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Published Jan 19, 2023

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.