According to various New York Knicks trade rumors, the addition of one of these three centers could help challenge the reigning NBA champion Boston Celtics and one-loss Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference: Utah Jazz’s Walker Kessler, Detroit Pistons’ Isaiah Stewart, and Philadelphia 76ers’ Joel Embiid.
New York Knicks Trade Rumors: One More Healthy Center Away From A Championship Run?
The Knicks are finally starting to play like title contenders, having won four straight games behind one of the top offenses in the NBA, and are currently third in the Eastern Conference at 9-6. New York currently has a 93.9% chance to make the playoffs, according to ESPN’s Basketball Power Index (BPI).
Per NBA.com, the Knicks rank 24th in team total rebounds per game (50.1) and dead last in team blocks per game (3.5). Is anyone confident enough to place a wager on New York to defeat Boston or Cleveland in a playoff series? More firepower is needed. That should go without saying.
Walker Kessler — Utah Jazz
During the 2022 offseason, the Jazz acquired Kessler from the Minnesota Timberwolves along with Malik Beasley, Patrick Beverley, Leandro Bolmaro, Jarred Vanderbilt, and five first-round draft picks (2023, 2025-27, 2029) in exchange for four-time Defensive Player of the Year center Rudy Gobert.
Nicholas Chiarito of FanSided recently suggested a trade that could help the Knicks strengthen roster depth while enhancing their interior presence. Chiarito proposed that New York should trade for Kessler in exchange for big man Mitchell Robinson, who remains out after undergoing ankle surgery in the offseason.
“A trade for Kessler would be centered around Mitchell Robinson, who has a similar playstyle but is not healthy. If he were acquired, Kessler instantly becomes the best defender the Knicks have. He would give the Knicks a different type of flexibility in their lineup,” Chiarito wrote.
Kessler, 23, signed a four-year, $13.37 million rookie-scale contract with Utah a couple years ago. He’s making $2.96 million this season, and his $4.88 million club option for 2025-26 was exercised by the Jazz last month. Through nine games (all starts) this campaign, he’s averaging 9.2 points and career highs of 10.7 rebounds and 26.4 minutes per contest.
For his career, he has averaged 2.4 blocks per game through 147 games (71 starts). That’s tied with Milwaukee’s Brook Lopez for the most in the NBA over the past three seasons (minimum 120 games). Simply put, Kessler is an upgrade over Robinson at this point. Based on offseason trade rumors, the Jazz are asking for two first-round picks for Kessler.
Isaiah Stewart — Detroit Pistons
Since the Knicks have been one of the worst defensive teams in the NBA, they wouldn’t have much to lose trading for Isaiah Stewart amid Robinson’s injury. Despite being an undersized big at 6-foot-8, Stewart would serve as a cheaper option to address New York’s size problems off the bench.
Through 17 games (two starts), he’s currently averaging 1.3 blocks, 6.9 rebounds, and just 22.1 minutes per game. Stewart would be leading the Knicks’ second unit in blocks if he played in the Big Apple right now. The Washington product is not a big-name player, but he still could become an impactful player for New York.
If the Knicks want to compete with the Celtics and Cavaliers for a championship this season, their defense has to improve. Stewart’s player efficiency rating (16.4) this season is the highest its been since his rookie year. His true shooting percentage (66.5%) right now is a career best as well.
At age 23 in his fifth season, Stewart ranks 10th in offensive rebounds (45), 13th in blocks (22), 16th in offensive rating (131), 13th in defensive box plus/minus (2.3), and seventh in block percentage (5.3).
More importantly, Stewart is affordable for the Knicks. He’s currently signed to a four-year, $60 million contract, the same deal as Robinson. The downside is that both players have a history of injuries. New York will have to kiss its title hopes goodbye if its big men fail to stay healthy.
Among the Knicks’ potential trade targets, Stewart is the most realistic option. It makes little sense for a team to gut its roster to acquire one player. Role players are more ideal, even if they don’t make headlines via Knicks trade rumors.
Joel Embiid — Philadelphia 76ers
ESPN’s Shams Charania reported Tuesday that Philadelphia 76ers All-Star guard Tyrese Maxey called out Joel Embiid for his lateness during a team meeting, blaming the former MVP’s attitude for the team’s 2-11 start to the 2024-25 season. The report sparked rumors of the 76ers potentially trading Embiid.
In light of those rumors, gamblers began placing bets on the team that would land the 7-footer. Per Bovada, the Indiana Pacers (+200) emerged as the favorites to trade for Embiid. The Knicks (+300) are second on the odds list to acquire the three-time All-Defensive member.
Unfortunately for Knicks fans, this trade would never work with Karl-Anthony Towns on the roster. This means New York would have to send Towns to Philadelphia for Embiid. During the offseason, New York traded All-Star forward Julius Randle and sharpshooter Donte DiVincenzo to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Towns.
The Timberwolves also received a 2025 top-13-protected first-round pick from New York via Detroit. The Charlotte Hornets were the third team involved in the trade.
Charlotte received DaQuan Jeffries (sign-and-trade), Charlie Brown Jr. (sign-and-trade), Duane Washington (sign-and-trade), either the Denver Nuggets’ or Philadelphia 76ers’ 2025 second-round pick (whichever is least favorable from Timberwolves), the Golden State Warriors’ 2026 second-round pick (from Knicks), New York’s 2031 second-round pick, and $7.2 million cash from the Knicks.
New York would be risking everything swapping Towns for Embiid after going all-in during the offseason. At least Towns has played three full 82-game seasons across his 10-year career.
The same cannot be said about Philadelphia’s superstar. Embiid missed the first six games this season because of left knee injury management. He has only played in four games this season out of a possible 14.
Other Knicks trade rumors can be read here.
