The NBA Cup curse has once again proven true, as the New York Knicks have lost nine of their last 11 games and look nothing like the title hopefuls many thought when the season began.
Problems are growing across the board, and with all the investment the front office has put into this current roster, the Knicks are relatively limited as to the moves they can make in order to fix their issues on both sides of the ball.
However, though a massive gamble considering their lack cap flexibility, New York does have the ability to make a blockbuster move, sending out either Karl-Anthony Towns, OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges, or anyone else, barring Jalen Brunson for that matter.
As James L. Edwards of The Athletic wrote, this current team’s struggles can’t be blamed on first-year head coach Mike Brown, but rather Leon Rose and the decision makers of the franchise. While Brunson had previously helped hide some of the now glaring flaws, as currently constructed and with how they’ve played over the past few weeks, the front office has dug itself a hole that might be too deep to climb out of, unless they change course and break up this team.
Knicks Urged To Make Blockbuster Trade
In his article, Edwards highlighted all of the issues facing the Knicks through the first half of the 2025-26 NBA season. While also adding that, while some might want to blame Brown, he had no, or very little part, in the building of this current roster.
“He didn’t sign Guerschon Yabusele with their minimal financial flexibility this offseason,” Edwards wrote. “He didn’t trade five first-round picks for Mikal Bridges or trade part of their identity for Karl-Anthony Towns. Brown isn’t the reason Towns is having the worst shooting efficiency of his career at the rim and from 3 (when you factor in the volume).”
That led him to the conclusion that, with how everything has gone, and despite what this group of players has shown at its peak, the Knicks should ‘strongly consider‘ a massive trade to revamp the roster to boost themselves back up into title contention.
“The Knicks have to be proactive. The sample is large enough now to suggest this team just might not work,” he wrote. “So, whether it’s trading Towns to somewhere he feels more comfortable or one of the wings they’ve invested real money and draft capital in to be lockdown defenders, the Knicks need to do something.”
There have been back-and-forth reports on the Knicks’ potential interest in a Towns trade, and while Edwards didn’t hint at any particular insight on the front office’s thoughts on an idea like that, with how he’s played, that certainly can’t be ruled out. An Anunoby or Bridges trade would also be big, but considering the haul they gave up for the latter, cutting ties with him would almost look like giving up on this era of the team.
Regardless, as the Knicks are now, they don’t look or feel like Finals contenders.
Knicks Fans Boo Struggling Team
Most recently, New York got blown out by the Dallas Mavericks team that had a lengthy injury report of eight players out. It was their first game back with Brunson after he suffered a slight ankle injury a few days, while also getting back Josh Hart, but overall, they never looked like they had a chance.
A performance like that, after their already poor streak losing eight of their last ten, caused Knicks fans in Madison Square Garden to finally express their frustration.
“I haven’t seen this kind of effort that we had today. It was embarrassing,” Hart said, after the team gave up 75 first-half points to the Mavericks.
“Fans are doing their part and we’ve got to do our part,” Towns added.
Brown also told reporters after the game that he didn’t even talk strategy with the team at halftime. He also said that the team should have started to attempt to figure out what’s been going wrong a few weeks ago, but that process will instead ‘start tomorrow.’
New York had a record of 23-9, but has since dropped to 25-18, and while still currently third in the East, just one and a half games back from the Play-In seeds.
Whether it be a roster-changing trade like moving Towns, Anunoby, or Bridges, or making significant gains through the ‘soul searching‘ Brown mentioned, this Knicks team must do something as the second half of the NBA season begins.
Knicks Urged To ‘Strongly Consider’ Big Move As Towns Trade Rumors Grow