Could Knicks Trade for Pelicans Forward?

The New York Knicks and New Orleans Pelicans have been linked in trade rumors.

Jeremy Brener | 18 Hours Ago

Feb 27, 2024; New York, New York, USA; New Orleans Pelicans guard Trey Murphy III (25) warms up before a game against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images / Brad Penner-Imagn Images

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New York Knicks

The New York Knicks are still looking for ways to improve their team even after trading for Karl-Anthony Towns from the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Among the players floating around in rumors is New Orleans Pelicans forward Trey Murphy III, but SNY insider Ian Begley doesn't believe Murphy is a possibility for the Knicks.

"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 writes. "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."

The Pelicans are in need of a center, which is why Robinson makes sense for New Orleans. However, Murphy probably isn't the player the Pelicans would give up in return. Murphy is one of the league's high-rising players after averaging 14.8 points per game this past season with the Pelicans.

If the Knicks were to trade Robinson to the Pelicans, they should ask for Murphy just in case they say yes, but in the event that they don't, players like Jose Alvarado and Jordan Hawkins are more likely to be dealt.

However, a trade for Robinson likely won't happen before the season as he is still recovering from offseason surgery. He is expected to come back in late December or January, and that will give him a few weeks to be featured for the Knicks before the trade deadline, where a deal could happen if a team or two is interested.

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Published 18 Hours Ago

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.