The New York Knicks are dead set on making a 2025 NBA Finals push this coming season, and a recent report flirted with the prospects of them trading for a promising talent that could have All-Star potential.
Knicks may have outside shot to trade for Pelicans’ Trey Murphy III
Per SNY’s Ian Begley (via Yahoo Sports), the Knicks were labeled as a potential trade partner with the New Orleans Pelicans for the high-flying deadeye Trey Murphy III. In a Q&A he held with his supporters, the NBA reporter had this to say about how realistic it would be for New York to strike a deal for Murphy III in exchange for Mitchell Robinson or Miles McBride, saying:
“The Pelicans have been signaling for a while that they value Murphy III highly and see him as a vital part of the future. So it would be surprising to see New Orleans move Murphy III for a package involving Mitchell Robinson. I don’t say that to slight Robinson. He is an elite talent and, if healthy, would have high value around the league,” Begley wrote.
But I can’t see New Orleans moving Murphy III at all – let alone for a player who is rehabbing from surgery. Because of his talent and team-friendly contract, there will be a market for Robinson. I just don’t think moving him could bring back a player like Murphy III.”
Murphy III is the prototypical role player in today’s NBA
Murphy III is an elite three-point shooter standing at 6-8. He can catch and shoot even as far out as 30 feet, put the ball on the floor, and pull up from deep, and also has incredible leaping ability. The 2023 Slam Dunk Contest participant would give the Knicks a high-energy and high-IQ sharpshooter that could weaponize their fast break as a reliable trailer and finisher at the rim. He had a career year in 2023-24, where he averaged 14.8 points and 4.9 rebounds a night. He also owns a 39.2 percent clip from downtown for his career.
Yet, in order to acquire his services, Robinson’s injury history serves as the biggest cause for concern, for any team, but especially a Pelicans franchise that justifiably endures the tenuous injury situation with star forward Zion Williamson on a year-by-year basis.
New Orleans did trade their former starting center Jonas Valanciunas to the Washington Wizards this offseason and no longer has Jaxson Hayes backing him up, so there is room for them to add a center like Robinson who can lead the league in offensive rebounds to supplement a depth chart consisting of Yves Missi, Daniel Theis, Jeremiah Robinson-Earl and Trey Jemison.
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How the Knicks could make the dollars and cents work for a Murphy III trade
Financially, both players have two years left on their contracts. Robinson will earn roughly $27.2 million in that span whereas Murphy III will take home approximately $12.4 million. McBride’s $13 million over the next three seasons would be a better match and service the Pelicans at another position they could use fortification with, but Begley’s adamant take on the likelihood of a deal getting done being slim to none dampens the idea of the Knicks upgrading in a major way with the versatile three-position talent. Nevertheless, the Knicks have draft capital, young pieces, and a shrewd team president in Leon Rose who can make anything happen if a move can improve their championship chances.
