Trade deadline season means constant glances to your phone, nonstop refreshing your timeline and buying into every rumor you hear.
The New York Knicks are typically active around this time of year, adding the finishing pieces to their roster as they prepare for the playoffs.
However, this season I don’t see New York making any major moves. The Knicks are 32-18, sitting in second place in the Eastern Conference as of print.
Why blow it up when you are 14 games above .500 after one of the worst stretches in recent memory?
Yes, I understand that Giannis Antetokounmpo, a generational talent, is a target for the Knicks. It isn’t the first time that New York has been the center of attention when it comes to rumors of stars making their way to the Big Apple.
With the 2019 offseason in mind, Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving chose New York but signed with Brooklyn instead of the Knicks.
Other than Antetokounmpo, the biggest news from the Knicks is Frenchman Guerschon Yabusele potentially making his way to play for a team in Israel. Yabusele, a 2025 free agent signing, has been in and out of the Knicks’ rotation, struggling to make his mark.
“I (am not) closing any door on (anything). I don’t know what’s going to happen. I don’t know what tomorrow’s going to be,” Yabusele said. “So right now, I can tell you nothing has been discussed or signed or anything like that. I’m a Knicks player at the end of the day.”
The 30-year-old made his way back into the NBA after his dominance in the 2024 Olympics for Team France. In his first season back after spending the last five playing in France, he averaged 11 points in 27 minutes per game. This season, he is averaging under three points in nine minutes per contest.
New York is on a seven-game win streak going into Wednesday night at home vs Denver. The Knicks have a big stretch ahead of them, as they head to Detroit on Friday and then ship up to Boston on Super Bowl Sunday. After that, they will take on Indiana and Philadelphia before a rematch with the Pistons on Feb. 19.
These games come at a great time for New York.
Ever since the players’ only meeting held by captain Jalen Brunson, the offense has been clicking and the defense has been even better. They held opponents to 101 points or fewer in six of their last seven games, including a 54-point win over Brooklyn, the largest margin in franchise history.
What does this mean for the Knicks?
They found their identity, score at will, and have a strong presence on defense.
In their 2-9 streak in January, opponents were two steps faster, beating the Knicks back door, getting to the rim at ease.
It was a wake-up call.
Once the win streak began, you noticed the hustle plays, bench guys stepping up, and nobody being selfish on the offensive end. Players like Tyler Kolek and Mohamed Diawara, guys who don’t know when their name will be called, were ready for the moment once it came to them.
After the deadline, don’t be surprised if the Knicks catch Detroit for the top seed in the East.