The New York Knicks are facing an incredible opportunity against the Indiana Pacers, but what if everything goes wrong?
Could the Knicks consider a huge trade this summer if Indiana exposes New York’s roster construction?
If the Knicks advance past Indiana and reach the NBA Finals, they’re highly unlikely to shake up their roster. A convincing loss to the Pacers, however, could prompt New York to reconsider the ceiling of their depth chart, potentially leading to a blockbuster trade involving one of their All-Stars.
Enter the Los Angeles Lakers, who are in win-now mode with a 40-year-old LeBron James and Luka Dončić at the head of the snake.
LA’s lack of a dynamic big man doomed them in 2025-26, and acquiring a legit center promises to be priority No. 1 for Lakers GM Rob Pelinka this summer.
Pelinka’s been known to pull off magical deals, so here’s an idea … what if he called the Knicks about Karl-Anthony Towns?
The Trade
Lakers receive…
Karl-Anthony Towns
Knicks receive…
Austin Reaves
Dalton Knecht
Rui Hachimura (expiring)
Dorian Finney-Smith (expiring)
2031 first-round pick
(This proposal assumes Finney-Smith picks up his $15.4 million player option for the 2025-26 season).
For New York, the trade’s centerpiece would be Reaves, whose playmaking ability would be a game-changer.
Jalen Brunson has been the Knicks’ lone point-of-attack creator, often facing intense defensive pressure. Reaves, with his crafty ball-handling and volume scoring ability, could alleviate Brunson’s burden, forming a dynamic backcourt duo at Madison Square Garden.
Knecht would provide the Knicks with a much-needed shooter on the wing, while the 2031 first-rounder carries value due to LeBron’s imminent retirement.
Hachimura and Finney-Smith, both on expiring contracts, basically represent cap space in 2026, but they’d both be valuable rotational pieces for the Knicks next season, giving New York a much deeper bench
For the Lakers, they’d be forming a Big 3 with LeBron, Luka, and Towns. Losing Reaves would be tough, but he isn’t an amazing fit next to Dončić.
This trade is unlikely due to New York’s successful season, but on the other hand, the Knicks’ playoff success has been largely due to Brunson, not Towns. There’s no proof that a Brunson-led Knicks squad, especially a deeper one, could achieve similar postseason success without KAT.
If New York is willing to test that theory, they’d likely have an available trade partner in the Lakers.
