The NBA Trade Deadline is just one day away on Thursday, February 5. There are sure to be plenty more deals to be made by various NBA teams, and we expect that there will be some big ones. One of the teams widely expected to make a big deal to better position themselves for a deep playoff run in a wide-open Eastern Conference is the New York Knicks. Their biggest bargaining chip for a deal is center Karl Anthony-Towns. A deal could get done with the Orlando Magic, who are looking to pull themselves out of the play-in tournaments, that could benefit both teams heading into the playoffs.
Orlando Magic – New York Knicks Mock Trade
Orlando Magic Receive
C – Karl Anthony-Towns
G – Landry Shamet
F – Guerschon Yabusele
F – Pacome Dadiet
New York Knicks Receive
G – Jalen Suggs
C – Wendell Carter Jr
F – Jonathan Isaac
First Round Pick
Fantasy Basketball Impact
KAT would likely see his scoring increase if he were shipped to Orlando. He would become a bigger focal point of the offense for the Magic in a dangerous frontcourt next to Franz Wagner. There would also likely be a spike in assists without a ball-dominant guard like Jalen Brunson handling the ball, and Jalen Suggs also being shipped out in this deal. For Landry Shamet, we’d expect to see him in a similar role in Orlando.
Orlando Magic guard Jalen Suggs (4) shoots the ball against the Toronto Raptors in the second quarter at Kia Center. | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
We don’t love this move from a fantasy perspective for Suggs. While he would be a strong starter, he would likely get fewer opportunities with the other guards in New York, like Brunson, Mikal Bridges, and Josh Hart. However, we do like this move for Carter, who we would expect to see a slight uptick in production with this move to New York.
Why The Trade Makes Sense For The Orlando Magic
The Magic get a big star in KAT, who can help take them to the next level as a legitimate contender in the East, while also grabbing a decent role player in Shamet. With this move, they have a much better chance of making a deep playoff run because Anthony-Towns comes with a lot more upside. Giving up what they did is a bold move, but it’s a swing worth taking for a franchise that has seen so little success.
Why The Trade Makes Sense For The Knicks
While the Knicks give up the top player in this trade, they add multiple players that can help them now and in the future, as well as a draft pick. Things are going well for the Knicks now, but they have had an up-and-down season plagued by inconsistency. A lot of that has been laid at the feet of Anthony-Towns, who has never been considered a winner and has been accused of being soft multiple times in the past. Moving on could help this team both immediately and could give them more future flexibility by moving his massive contract.
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