New York Knicks

The New York Knicks are "one of the more active teams in early trade conversations," according to Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports.

The Los Angeles Lakers and Houston Rockets have also reportedly been busy well ahead of the Feb. 9 NBA trade deadline.

New York and Houston had already discussed a potential deal for Eric Gordon this season, but the Rockets are holding out for a first-round pick, per Fischer.

The Knicks have climbed into playoff contention after five straight wins, currently sitting sixth in the Eastern Conference with a 15-13 record. Adding a proven veteran like Gordon in the backcourt could further help the team going forward.

Gordon is averaging 12.1 points per game this season, but he's averaged 16.2 points over his career while shooting 37 percent from three-point range. He would provide some much-needed scoring depth behind the Knicks' top trio of Julius Randle, Jalen Brunson and RJ Barrett.

Of course, the Knicks could have also added Gordon and flipped him later in the offseason. However, the team would have needed to acquire him before Dec. 9.

The team still has no shortage of current players on the trade block.

According to Fischer, the squad is looking at deals involving Evan Fournier, Derrick Rose, Cam Reddish and Immanuel Quickley.

Rose and Reddish have fallen out of the rotation and haven't played the last five games, while Fournier hasn't played since Nov. 13.

Reddish could be an intriguing target for a rebuilding team, adding a high-upside player who is still only 23 years old. The 2019 lottery pick is averaging 8.4 points per game this season and will be a restricted free agent in the offseason, making him a low-risk addition for any team.

Rose could be a tougher sell after seeing his production decline this year, averaging just 6.4 points in 13.6 minutes per game. The 34-year-old became expendable with the addition of Brunson, and the Knicks could now be looking to move his $14.5 million salary for this season.

Fournier's contract will make him difficult to trade, currently in the second season of a four-year, $73 million deal. The Knicks would likely need to add the forward to a larger deal to get his money off the books.

Quickley is the only one of the foursome still producing, but the emergence of Miles McBridge and Quentin Grimes could allow New York to deal the 23-year-old.

In NBA Jam parlance, Julius Randle is heating up.

The New York Knicks forward is practically shooting fireballs at this point, posting his third game with 30 or more points in his last four contests during Wednesday's 128-120 win over the Chicago Bulls (11-16).

Randle finished the game with 31 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists, while Jalen Brunson (30 points, seven assists) and R.J. Barrett (22 points) chipped in with strong performances of their own. DeMar DeRozan (32 points) and Zach LaVine (25 points) led the Bulls, per usual.

But NBA Twitter was loving the performance from Randle:

This wasn't a perfect performance from Randle. He had a couple of tough offensive trips down the stretch despite getting a seemingly favorable switch onto Alex Caruso. He air-balled a potential game-winning shot in the final second in what was a pretty dreadful possession. He was fairly quiet in overtime, with only a point and an assist.

No matter. The Knicks (15-13) secured the win, and Randle's hot start alongside Brunson's fantastic, seven-point overtime sealed the deal.

Randle's long isolation possessions can be infuriating. But this is as good as he's looked since the 2020-21 season, when he was an All-Star and second-team All-NBA selection after averaging 24.1 points, 10.2 rebounds and six assists per game while shooting 41.1 percent from three.

That three-point stroke appears to have been an aberration. But the addition of Jalen Brunson this offseason is getting the most out of Randle, namely during New York's five-game winning streak. At the moment, Randle is on fire.

The New York Knicks reportedly won't trade Evan Fournier just to shed salary ahead of February's deadline.

"The Knicks are not interested in shedding salary going forward," ESPN's Brian Windhorst said on his podcast. "They'll do business, but I think there's been a concept that they might, like, attach a pick to get off of Evan Fournier or something like that. But to my understanding that's not true. I think they would trade Evan Fournier—I mean he's not playing for them right now, of course they would trade him. But I don't think they feel any sort of desperation to clear cap space."

Fournier has been featured in trade rumors in the early going this season, and Shams Charania of The Athletic reported Monday he could be a target for the Los Angeles Lakers.

The 30-year-old is making $18 million in base salary this season and is in line to make $18.9 million next season and $19 million in 2024-25 if his club option is exercised.

Still, a trade could help New York net some assets for someone who has fallen out of head coach Tom Thibodeau's rotation.

Fournier hasn't appeared in a contest since a Nov. 13 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder and is in a similar position to Cam Reddish, who has also fallen out of the rotation and been the subject of some trade speculation.

The former is averaging 6.9 points, 2.1 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 20 minutes per game. Prior to this season, he's averaged 14.3 points, 2.7 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game.

Fournier has played for the Denver Nuggets, Orlando Magic, Boston Celtics and Knicks throughout his career since entering the league in the 2012 NBA draft and averaged double-figure scoring totals in each of the last eight campaigns.

He is a career 38.0 percent shooter from deep and could help a contender looking for outside shooting if he is eventually traded. But the Knicks apparently won't complete such a move for the sole purpose of shedding his salary.

New York Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson suffered a sprained right ankle during his team's 112-99 win over the Sacramento Kings on Sunday.

Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau told the news to reporters after the game and noted he didn't have an idea of Brunson's status for Wednesday's road matchup with the Chicago Bulls.

The Knicks will visit Chicago for a pair of games on Wednesday and Friday.

Brunson left the Kings game with 9:03 remaining in the fourth quarter. Fred Katz of The Athletic reported that he walked back to the locker room with a "heavy limp."

He finished with 18 points on 7-of-14 shooting in 27 minutes. Miles McBride replaced Brunson down the stretch.

The former Villanova star joined New York on a four-year, $104 million contract this offseason after spending the first four seasons of his NBA career with the Dallas Mavericks. He has done quite well for the Knicks en route to averaging a career-high 20.1 points per game and 6.4 assists for the 14-13 Knicks.

If Brunson is forced to miss time, that should open up minutes for players such as McBride and Immanuel Quickley, who was asked about the possibility Sunday.

The Knicks moved into a sixth-place tie in the Eastern Conference with their fourth straight victory.

Carmelo Anthony could fill a hole for the New York Knicks at power forward, but the free agent doesn't appear to be a good fit for the roster.

"Based on one Knicks source, the indications are that Anthony would not fit the style the Knicks are trying to play — namely defense," Steve Popper of Newsday reported.

Anthony has yet to appear in the NBA this season after playing 69 games with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2021-22. He averaged 13.3 points and 4.2 rebounds per game last year, shooting 37.5 percent from three-point range.

The 38-year-old could be an impact player as a 10-time All-Star with a 22.5 points per game career average. He spent parts of seven seasons with the Knicks, winning a scoring title in 2012-13 while helping the squad reach the second round of the playoffs that year.

Team president Leon Rose was also Anthony's longtime agent, providing plenty of familiarity for a reunion.

With Obi Toppin out for the next few weeks due to a knee injury, the signing would seemingly be a quality fit for the 13-31 squad to stay competitive.

However, it's clear head coach Tom Thibodeau wants to prioritize defense, which has never been one of Anthony's strengths. The forward's defensive box plus/minus has been negative in every single season of his 19-year NBA career, per Basketball Reference.

The Knicks currently rank 14th in the league in defensive rating and can't afford to drop much lower if they want to stay in the playoff hunt.

It could force New York to look elsewhere to find a short-term replacement for Toppin.

New York Knicks guard Immanuel Quickley is hoping to remain with the team despite recent trade rumors.

"I love being in New York," Quickley said after Friday's win over the Charlotte Hornets, per Zach Braziller of the New York Post.

Fred Katz of The Athletic recently reported the Knicks have already started discussing trades with teams amid their 13-13 start to the year. Quickley has reportedly been among the most common players discussed, along with Evan Fournier, Derrick Rose and Cam Reddish.

Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium first reported the Knicks' interest in discussing Quickley and Rose in trades last month while hoping to "sort out the team's glut at the guard position."

Quickley has been productive off the bench this season, averaging 10.0 points, 4.3 rebounds and 3.0 assists in 26 appearances. Even without a single start this year, he ranks fourth on the team in total minutes played (601).

The 23-year-old could remain in this role while helping the team compete for a playoff spot. The squad is up to eighth place in the Eastern Conference after three straight wins, creating less urgency to sell assets.

Quickley remains under contract through 2023-24 and would be a restricted free agent the following offseason without a new deal. It could keep him in New York for an extended stretch as long as both sides remain happy.

On the other hand, the guard is eligible for an extension this summer and could command a high cost if he continues to produce on both ends of the court. The Knicks also clearly want to get Quentin Grimes and Miles McBride some extra playing time, and trading Quickley could remove the logjam in the backcourt.

The Knicks could remain patient in evaluating a deal before the Feb. 9 trade deadline.

Is Cam Reddish trying to get traded from the New York Knicks, or isn't he? That isn't exactly clear at this point, nearly two months into the 2022-23 NBA season.

Earlier this week, Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News reported that the Knicks "still don't have a role" for Reddish, whom they acquired in a trade with the Atlanta Hawks in January. Bondy shared that New York was "working with [Reddish's] representatives toward a trade."

Then, Reddish denied those rumors, stating he hadn't requested a trade. The 23-year-old forward told reporters, "Y'all seem to know more than me."

Whichever side is true, two things remain clear: Reddish and the Knicks don't seem to be a great fit, and there would be teams interested in him on the trade market.

Reddish has played in 20 games this season, but his minutes started to dwindle in recent weeks. He also hasn't even played in New York's past two contests despite being healthy. So it would make sense for him to go to a new team and for the Knicks to get rid of his $5.95 million salary.

According to SNY's Ian Begley, several teams have expressed interest in acquiring Reddish since he arrived in New York earlier this year. Among those teams were the Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat and Milwaukee Bucks, per Begley.

Reddish could provide a boost to any of those teams. He was a solid scoring threat over his two-and-a-half seasons in Atlanta, averaging 11.1 points in 118 games. Although he wasn't the most efficient shooter, his field goal percentages have gotten better as he's gained experience.

Of the three teams rumored to have had previous interest in Reddish, the best potential fit could be with the Lakers. And they may be the team that needs him the most among that trio.

The Bucks (19-6) are cruising this season, and they're not needing wing players as much now that Khris Middleton has returned from injury. As for the Heat (12-14), they could use a boost, but they should be in better shape as they get healthier as the season progresses.

The Lakers (10-15) need some wing players who will fit in well around their star core of LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook (assuming he doesn't get traded at some point). That would be a role Reddish could serve in.

Of course, it depends on how much New York wants in return for Reddish. Los Angeles doesn't have much draft capital to part with, so it should only try to trade for him if the price is right.

But if the Knicks aren't even going to play Reddish, maybe they wouldn't ask for too much. And if that's the case, the Lakers need to capitalize, because he's the exact type of player they should be looking to add.

Reddish remains in New York for now, though, amid all of these recent rumors. But it wouldn't be at all surprising if he's on a new team by the time the NBA trade deadline passes on Feb. 9.

The New York Knicks are building some momentum with back-to-back wins this week, but they will be without a rotation player for the foreseeable future.

According to the team, forward Obi Toppin will miss the next 2-3 weeks after imaging revealed a non-displaced fracture in his right fibula on Thursday.

Toppin has come off the bench while appearing in all 25 games this season and is averaging 7.7 points and 3.8 rebounds in 17.1 minutes per game. The 6'9" forward has shown improvement in his three-point shooting, connecting on 35.1 percent of his attempts from beyond the arc. However, his efficiency has dropped dramatically as his field-goal percentage of 42.1 is down from 53.1 percent in 2021-22.

The eighth overall pick in the 2020 draft, the Dayton product has yet to demonstrate the ability to produce consistently for the Knicks. He's scored in double figures just seven times this season, which is the same as his number of games with at least 20 minutes. In his career, he's averaging just 6.9 points and 3.1 rebounds in 159 games.

While the Brooklyn native isn't much of a contributor, his absence will be a blow to New York's depth. Veteran point guard Derrick Rose and forward Cam Reddish had already been removed from the rotation. Without Toppin available to spell star power forward Julius Randle, more minutes will be available in the frontcourt for Isaiah Hartenstein and Jericho Sims.

At 12-13, the Knicks are still in last place in the Atlantic Division and ninth in the Eastern Conference. But after holding back-to-back opponents to under 90 points, New York appears to have found a formula for success.

The Knicks will look to stay hot when they visit the Charlotte Hornets (7-18) on Friday.

It was less than a year ago that the New York Knicks acquired forward Cam Reddish in a trade with the Atlanta Hawks, but the team has reportedly been fielding offers to ship him away for quite some time.

"[S]everal teams have expressed interest in trading for Reddish since the Knicks acquired him in January 2022," SNY's Ian Begley wrote. "The Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat and Milwaukee Bucks are among the teams who reached out to New York in that span."

Reddish was removed from the Knicks rotation this week and hasn't played since last Saturday's 21-point loss to the Dallas Mavericks. New York has won back-to-back games since then and has a 12-13 record.

On Wednesday, Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News reported that the Knicks were working with Reddish and his representatives to secure a deal for him. However, the 23-year-old later said that he wasn't trying to force his way off the team.

"I haven't requested any trades," he said, per Peter Botte of the New York Post. "I have not. Y'all seem to know more than me, for real. I don't know what y'all talking about, but I haven't requested no trade, nothing like that."

Reddish has failed to make an impact since he entered the league as the No. 10 overall pick in 2019. The Duke product has a career average of 10.2 points on 39.3 percent shooting from the field and 32.3 percent from beyond the arc. Still, he is young and he has the potential to develop into a contributor in the right situation.

The Bucks are one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference, but they could use some extra firepower to compete against the defending conference-champion Boston Celtics. The Heat have been bitten by the injury bug early in the season and lack depth.

Begley noted that the Lakers and Knicks had engaged in discussions recently about a potential trade that would've required a third team to complete. Los Angeles has an open roster spot after waiving Matt Ryan and desperately needs to add shooting.

For now, Reddish will continue to ride the bench when the Knicks return to action on Friday against the Charlotte Hornets (7-18).