Ranking the Top 10 Trades in New York Knicks History

Since their inaugural season in 1946-47, the

New York Knicks

have not come out on top of many trades they have made. They have, though, made some moves over the years that have helped them win championships and brought stars to The Big Apple.

Since the Knicks were founded, they have made eight NBA Finals appearances. However, they have won just two championships, the first in 1969-70 and the other in 1972-73.

Despite not winning a championship in over 50 years, there is hope that the new-look Knicks squad in 2024-25 can bring the franchise back to glory.

To do this, they made a deal with the

Brooklyn Nets

to receive

Mikal Bridges

. While this trade has not yet cracked the top five trades in franchise history, if Bridges and

Jalen Brunson

help lead the Knicks to a championship, there is no doubt that that deal will eventually be on this list.

Here’s a breakdown of the top five trades in Knicks history.

5

Latrell Sprewell

Led the Knicks in scoring during their 1998–99 Finals run

After losing in the Eastern Conference semifinals the last four seasons, the Knicks looked to advance past that round during the 1998-99 season and return to the NBA Finals for the first time since 1993-94.

In order to do so, they would have to give Patrick Ewing some help, and that is exactly what they did when they made a deal with the

Golden State Warriors

to bring in Latrell Sprewell.

The Knicks made the deal for Sprewell in January 1999, right before the strike-shortened season began.

Sprewell was a talented but controversial player. He made the All-NBA First Team in 1993-94 with the Warriors and was an All-Star in 1996-97. During the 1997-98 season, he played just 14 games after being suspended for 68 games for choking Warriors’ head coach P.J. Carlesimo.

After that season, the Knicks dealt for him, sending Terry Cummings, John Starks and Chris Mills to Golden State. Sprewell quickly became a fan favorite in New York and was a spark at both ends of the floor.

With him now next to Ewing and Larry Johnson, whom they had traded for in 1996, the Knicks went on a run to the 1999 NBA Finals.

During their run to the finals, Sprewell led the Knicks in scoring and brought intensity on defense. New York lost to Tim Duncan and David Robinson’s

San Antonio Spurs

in the finals, but their run proved what adding one player could do for a team.

Sprewell spent five seasons in New York, averaging 17.9 points, 4.1 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.3 steals per game. He made his only All-Star appearance with New York in 2000-01 but was a crucial part of the Knicks’ success in not only 1998-99 but also over the next four seasons he was with them.

4

Charles Oakley

Essential part of the Knicks’ run to the Finals in 1993-94

After 1987-88, the Knicks traded with the

Chicago Bulls

to receive Charles Oakley. In Oakley’s first three seasons, all with Chicago, he made a name for himself as one of the best rebounders in the NBA. He quickly became the face of the bruising Knicks teams of the 1990s, next to Ewing in the frontcourt.

In the trade, the Knicks sent Bill Cartwright and two picks to Chicago for Oakley and two picks. Although Cartwright had given the Knicks nearly a decade of productive basketball, he had become expendable after they drafted Ewing in 1985.

Cartwright fit in well in Chicago, winning three championships during his time there thanks to

Michael Jordan

and Scottie Pippen.

Oakley, on the other hand, would never win a title, but he would help propel the Knicks to the NBA Finals in 1993-94.

New York lost in the finals to

Hakeem Olajuwon

and the

Houston Rockets

in seven games. Despite the loss, the addition of Oakley made the Knicks a threat in the Eastern Conference during the 1990s due to their physicality inside the paint.

It also did not help that they had to compete with the Bulls’ dynasty during the 1990s. If that was not the case, New York might have been able to break their championship drought.

Oakley spent 10 years in New York, averaging 10.4 points and 10.0 rebounds per game. He became one of the NBA’s best rebounders during the 1990s.

He made his only All-Star appearance in 1993-94 and was a two-time All-Defense selection.

3

Carmelo Anthony

The Knicks’ superstar during the 2010s

In February 2011, the Knicks made a deal with the

Denver Nuggets

that sent

Carmelo Anthony

to New York. This marked the last time the Knicks acquired a superstar in his prime.

During the 2010-11 season, Melo was ready to depart Denver. He was in the last year of his contract, and instead of waiting until free agency to find a new team, the Nuggets sent him to the Knicks for a package that included four players and four draft picks.

In the trade, the Nuggets sent Anthony, Chauncey Billups and three other players to New York for a huge package.

That package included Wilson Chandler, Raymond Felton,

Danilo Gallinari

and Timofey Mozgov. It also included two first-round picks and two second-round picks.

The best pick they received was a 2016 first-round pick, which they used to select

Jamal Murray

.

The Knicks gave up a lot to bring Anthony to New York and keep him from signing with another team in free agency. They brought him in to pair him next to the recently signed big man, Amar’e Stoudamire.

Anthony became the superstar the Knicks needed, as he was at the forefront of the exciting Knicks teams of the 2010s. Their best season came in 2012-13, when New York finished with a 54-28 record and Anthony won the scoring title after averaging 28.7 points per game.

With his stellar season, he finished third in MVP voting.

In each of his first three seasons, New York reached the postseason. In the next four seasons, though, the Knicks would not reach the playoffs, leading to them trading him to the

Oklahoma City Thunder

in 2017.

Despite never leading the Knicks to a championship, Anthony etched his name as one of the best players in franchise history. In his seven seasons in New York, he averaged 24.7 points and 7.0 rebounds per game. He was a seven-time All-Star and two-time All-NBA selection.

His No. 7 jersey will likely eventually hang from the rafters in Madison Square Garden, but the Knicks have yet to retire it. Even if they do not, Anthony will likely be a first-ballot Hall of Famer when he is eligible in 2026.

2

Earl Monroe

Led the Knicks to a title in 1972-73

While most fans know Earl “The Pearl” Monroe as one of the best players in

Washington Wizards

(Bullets) history, he was also a huge part of the Knicks’ second championship in 1972-73.

In 1971, the Knicks made a deal with the then-Washington Bullets to acquire Monroe. In the trade, the Knicks sent Mike Riordan, Dave Stallworth and cash back to Washington.

The Knicks already had a Hall of Fame guard in Walt Frazier, who had led them to their first championship in 1969-70. By trading for Monroe, they formed the “Rolls-Royce Backcourt” that led New York to consecutive finals appearances, including winning the title in 1972-73.

Monroe spent nine years in New York, helping the Knicks win the championship in 1972-73. Over those nine years, he was a two-time All-Star.

In 1990, he was inducted into the Hall of Fame, joining fellow teammate Frazier, who was inducted in 1987.

1

Dave DeBusschere

Led the Knicks to two titles

In 1968, the Knicks would make a move that would change the franchise forever.

The Knicks were ascending into contenders during the late 1960s, and by acquiring Dave DeBusschere from the

Detroit Pistons

, they had found their final piece of the puzzle.

In the trade, the Knicks sent Walt Bellamy and Howard Komives to Detroit for DeBusschere midway through the 1967-68 season. Thanks to his elite defense, DeBusschere had blossomed into one of the most feared players in the NBA. He was also a great scorer and rebounder and had a high basketball IQ.

After dealing for DeBusschere, the Knicks reached the NBA Finals in 1969-70, their first appearance since 1952-53.

In this case, New York would end the season on top, winning their first championship in franchise history thanks to the trio of DeBusschere, Frazier and Willis Reed.

Two seasons later, the Knicks would again reach the finals, their first since acquiring Monroe from Washington. This time, the Lakers would defeat them in the finals in five games.

The next season, they would reach the finals again, this time defeating the Lakers in five games.

DeBusschere spent six seasons in New York, leading the Knicks to three finals appearances and two championships. He was a five-time All-Star and five-time All-Defense selection in those six years.

In 1968-69, he was selected to an All-NBA team for the first and only time during his career.

In 1983, he was inducted into the Hall of Fame, ending one of the best careers in Knicks history while also being one of the most underrated players in the history of the NBA.