Knicks, Lakers discuss bold potential trade

New York Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau made a bold move just over a week ago that reduced the team’s rotation to just nine players. While there was a lot of talk about whether that was the route to go, it’s something that paid off immediately as the Knicks are 4-0 since the change was made, making them one of the NBA’s hottest teams .

Sophomore point guard Deuce McBride was included in the rotation as his elite defense helped set the tone in the second unit. Thibodeau chose to cut Derrick Rose and Cam Reddish out of the mix, which surprised many people.

Rose has been one to assist Thibodeau throughout his coaching career and Reddish has played well in stints as a starter. In the end, Thibodeau felt it was best to remove both from the rotation and so far it was the right decision to make.

Even when Obi Toppin went down with an injury, neither player was placed back in the rotation. Instead, Thibodeau opted to play Jericho Sims for a few minutes, with Isaiah Hartenstein playing some power forward. RJ Barrett and Quentin Grimes also saw some big minutes filling Toppin’s void.

With the rotation changes, trade rumors spread in New York. This isn’t the first major change, as Evan Fournier went from starter to out of circulation in less than two weeks and hasn’t been on the floor since November 13.

LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Evan Fournier, Cam Reddish, New York Knicks & Los Angeles Lakers Updates

There is no rush to trade Fournier, who will have an expiring contract once the off-season hits, so there would be no point in adding an asset to move away from him. There are rumors that Reddish’s team is in the process of finding him a new team so he can get more playing time.

One team to watch during these trade talks is the Los Angeles Lakers. According to Shams Charania of The AthleticLos Angeles has had some exploratory talks with New York about deals with Fournier and Reddish.

“After a 2-10 start, the Los Angeles Lakers, now 11-15 and three games out of sixth place, have turned their season around and are seen as a major team in the trade market this season. The Lakers prioritize shooting in their talks with teams and have discussed packages including salaries and a protected first-round pick for Detroit’s Bojan Bogdanovic, according to league sources, who were granted anonymity so they could speak freely, tell The Athletic. They also discussed concepts involving New York’s Cam Reddish and Evan Fournier, sources said. With Anthony Davis having an MVP-caliber season and LeBron James running another strong campaign, it will be fascinating to follow how these Lakers approach February 9.

LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Evan Fournier, Cam Reddish, New York Knicks & Los Angeles Lakers Updates

Unless the Knicks were willing to take on Russell Westbrook, any draft between the Lakers and Knicks would probably have to involve a third team. Los Angeles just doesn’t have the contracts to match the salary, as their roster has only three players who earn less than the maximum, but more than the minimum for a veteran.

Trading Patrick Beverley, Lonnie Walker IV and Kendrick Nunn for Fournier and Reddish would work, but those kinds of deals wouldn’t help the Knicks. They want to consolidate their roster, not add more pieces, as a 2 for 3 trade is highly unlikely.

LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Evan Fournier, Cam Reddish, New York Knicks & Los Angeles Lakers Updates

But their opinion could certainly change if the Lakers withdraw some of their future draft capital as teams scrutinize their picks for the 2027 or 2029 first round in trade talks.