Lakers Could Make Trade With Knicks

The New York Knicks hope to continue staying aggressive in free agency and on the trade market.

They have been linked to some of the top trade targets in the league, which could make them a busy team on the market.

Sports Illustrated analyst Chris Mannix spoke with Rachel Nichols about the possibility of the Los Angeles Lakers trading Austin Reaves to the Knicks.

"I might look at a team like New York, that has Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby, three-and-d types of guys,"Mannix said h/t Newsweek contributor Evan Massey.

"The Knicks under Mike Brown, looking to become more diverse offensively, maybe they'd be interested in something like that."

Reaves would certainly be an interesting option if he were to be traded by the Lakers. In his most recent season with Los Angeles, Reaves averaged 20.2 points, 4.5 rebounds and 5.8 assists per game, all of which were career-highs.

Reaves would likely be traded if the Knicks looked to move on from Mikal Bridges, who has one year remaining on his contract before hitting free agency.

If the Knicks swapped out Bridges for Reaves, they would have another facilitator alongside Jalen Brunson, giving them one of the top backcourt combinations in the league.

Reaves has gotten consistently better in every year he's played for the Lakers, so there's a chance he could continue to grow, especially if he leaves a team with ball-dominant players like Luka Doncic and LeBron James.

The former undrafted guard out of Oklahoma is only 27 years old, so there's reason to believe he has yet to hit his prime. He's only making just under $14 million for this season before a player option for the 2026-27 campaign, so he could be in line for a massive payday coming soon.

If the Lakers don't give him the money he's looking for, it's possible that the Knicks could.