All things considered, the New York Knicks are in a good place.

They have the best start to a season in quite some time, are third in the Eastern Conference at 25-14 and still carry one of the best net ratings in basketball despite an underwhelming start to 2025. Yet, with all that said, it feels like this team has a ceiling this season unless it’s able to make tweaks to its top-heavy roster.

For the Knicks, that won’t be easy. The team has a financial crunch and is pushing up against the second apron. Mitchell Robinson, who is making $14.3 million this season and $12.9 million next, still hasn’t played this year and might not be available until after the Feb. 6 trade deadline. Would a team — even a tanking one — take on a 7-footer with a foot problem without seeing him play this season? Would the Knicks use their limited assets just to dump him somewhere? Both feel unlikely, but never say never.

It feels like New York’s best chance to upgrade its roster is to rearrange the deck, adding smaller pieces around the margin in exchange for some of their smaller contracts and redundant pieces. The Knicks could use more wing depth as their starting wings — Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby and Josh Hart — ranked first, second and third in the entire NBA in minutes played. They could use an upgrade in the frontcourt, as well.

Here, I’m going to look at some players that the Knicks could acquire via trade because of their smaller contracts and potential fit with the current roster. The goal is to give you an idea of the challenges New York could face to tweak its roster without giving up any of the starters, Miles McBride and the injured Robinson.

(Writer’s note: None of the below trade scenarios will include the injured Mitchell Robinson. A Robinson-focused discussion will come next week.)

Scenario No. 1

Knicks receive: Simone Fontecchio

Pistons receive: Bruce Brown and Cameron Payne

Raptors receive: Precious Achiuwa and three future second-round picks (one from New York and two from Detroit)

Why would the Knicks do this?

Fontecchio is under contract until the end of next season, and, in theory, checks boxes left void on New York’s bench — even though Fontecchio’s struggled this year in Detroit.

Last season, the 29-year-old knocked down 40 percent of his 3s on 5.1 attempts per game between the Jazz and Pistons while being a solid defender. However, after undergoing foot surgery last summer, Fontecchio has struggled to find consistency this year. The 3-point-shooting efficiency has slipped, but I tend to believe good shooters always figure it out. He competes defensively and, when needed, doesn’t mind getting in the trenches to rebound. His season hasn’t gone like many in Detroit anticipated, but it doesn’t mean he’s a lost cause. Fontecchio basically had no offseason. I think he’d slot in nicely alongside either Jalen Brunson or Karl-Anthony Towns for the Knicks when head coach Tom Thibodeau starts to trickle his bench into games. Assuming Fontecchio can get back to last year’s form, I’d also not be worried about him closing games if one of the Knicks wings is having a tough night.

Giving up Payne here will be tough as he’s shooting the 3-ball well, brings a different energy to the game when he’s in and is loved in the locker room, but New York has really no other choice but to trade him and Achiuwa to get above Fontecchio’s $7.6 million salary. New York would also shed close to $400,000 by making this trade.

The ripple effect in this scenario would be that Thibodeau would have to rely more on rookie guard Tyler Kolek to fill backup backcourt minutes. And in the frontcourt, unless Robinson returns to close to full health sooner rather than later, he’d have to lean on Jericho Sims or rookie Ariel Hukporti more, too.

Why would the Pistons and Raptors do this?

Detroit is currently in the postseason hunt for the first time in a long time, and it feels like the franchise would be better served to enhance its roster sooner rather than later with Cade Cunningham not only playing like an All-Star but, potentially, All-NBA talent. The Pistons could use a backup point guard, so Payne helps there. Furthermore, the team has made tremendous strides defensively under J.B. Bickerstaff and is slowly forming an identity on that side of the floor. Brown will help in that regard, as well as bring some secondary and tertiary playmaking on offense. Detroit likely lost guard Jaden Ivey to a bad injury a few weeks ago, too, so the minutes are available for Brown. Lastly, the Pistons would still retain future flexibility moving forward with this trade, as both Brown and Payne are expiring contracts.

The Raptors make this deal because they’re rebuilding and get to add three second-rounders for trading Brown.

Scenario No. 2

Knicks receive: Nick Richards

Hornets receive: Precious Achiuwa and two future second-round picks from New York

Why would the Knicks do this?

The 7-foot Richards would provide a combination of size and physicality that New York misses at times with Robinson out due to injury. More than that, Richards just seems like the type of player that Thibodeau would love because of Richards’ aggressiveness and willingness to do the little things.

Front-office people I’ve talked to around the league would view Richards as the more desired player in this deal, so New York would likely have to add some low-risk draft picks to try and get it done. I don’t mean to keep including Achiuwa in every deal, as he is a solid NBA player, but his $6 million salary is really the only one that will allow the Knicks to make marginal tweaks to the roster (assuming New York has no interest in moving Miles McBride).

The Knicks would face a dilemma when Robinson is cleared to play again and/or if they are unable to move him anytime over the next several months, but given that windows can close at any moment in this league, New York is better served crossing that bridge when it gets there.

Why would the Hornets do this?

Mark Williams is the future of the center position in Charlotte, so giving up his backup — while he is a solid player — won’t hinder the franchise too much. Furthermore, Achiuwa is on an expiring deal while Richards has another season left after this one on his current contract. Achiuwa can more than handle playing behind Williams for the remainder of this season.

Charlotte is one of the worst teams in basketball and still rebuilding, so getting picks for their backup center feels like a good use of resources.

Scenario No. 3

Knicks receive: Alec Burks

Heat receive: Jericho Sims and a future second-round pick

Why would the Knicks do this?

Hear me out…

In this scenario, Burks comes back to New York to try to provide more shot creation/guard depth. Sims has been in and out of Thibodeau’s rotation (mostly out) and isn’t necessarily needed with Achiuwa, Hukporti and Robinson in the building. Burks and Sims have identical salaries.

This isn’t a needle-moving trade by any means, but it changes the structure of the Knicks roster and brings back someone who is familiar with the organization.

Why would the Heat do this?

I’m not sure that they would, but Burks has only played in a little over 20 games for Miami. The veteran has had good moments on offense when given the opportunity. He can still shoot the ball.

If New York sweetens the deal with a second-round pick, maybe Miami considers it. The Heat only have two second-round picks at their disposal between 2026 and 2031.

(Top photo of Alec Burks: Melissa Majchrzak / NBAE via Getty Images)