7 Biggest Trades in New York Knicks History, Ranked

The New York Knicks have made many moves to give them a better shot of winning games and improve their championship basketball odds at a sportsbook.

The Knicks made good on their short NBA championship odds in 1970 and 1973.

With that said, what are the seven biggest trades in Knicks history? Let’s find out.

7 Biggest New York Knicks Trades in Team History

1. Mike Riordan, Dave Stallworth, and Cash for Earl Monroe

Earl “The Pearl” Monroe came over in a trade from the Baltimore Wizards in 1971 and helped the Knicks win their second championship in 1973, putting up 23 points in New York’s Game 5 win over a Los Angeles Lakers team featuring Wilt Chamberlain and Jerry West.

Monroe finished with MVP votes in two of his eight-plus seasons in New York.

2. Wilson Chandler, Raymond Felton, Danilo Gallinari, Timofey Mozgov, First-Round Pick, First-Round Pick Swap, and Two Second-Round Picks for Carmelo Anthony, Chauncey Billups, Shelden Williams, Anthony Carter, and Renaldo Balkman

Carmelo Anthony was traded to his hometown team from the Denver Nuggets in February 2011, as he became an immediate favourite in Gotham City.

Melo finished third behind LeBron James and Kevin Durant in MVP voting during the 2012-13 season, as he averaged 28.7 points while helping the Knicks win 54 games.

Anthony is arguably the smoothest scorer the game has ever seen next to Durant, given his ability to hit pull-up jumpers with ease.

3. Julius Randle, Donte DiVincenzo, and First-Round Pick for Karl-Anthony Towns

Losing fan favourites Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo was a tough pill for Knicks fans to swallow, but Karl-Anthony Towns took the next step in his game immediately upon being traded from the Minnesota Timberwolves in September 2024.

Given Towns’ 3-point shooting, driving, playmaking, and leadership skills, the Knicks have a real shot of winning a championship surrounding Bodega KAT if they build a roster that maximizes his strengths.

4. Bill Cartwright, First-Round Pick Swap, and Third-Round Pick Swap for Charles Oakley

Charles Oakley was the Knicks’ enforcer during his decade-long stay in New York, given his defensive and rebounding skills.

Oakley was acquired from the Chicago Bulls in 1988, as the Knicks swapped their 11th pick for the Bulls’ 19th pick and their 62nd pick for Chicago’s 69th pick.

5. Terry Cummings, Chris Mills, and John Starks for Latrell Sprewell

Latrell Sprewell was traded from the Golden State Warriors in 1999, as he helped the Knicks get to the NBA Finals that same year.

Sprewell averaged 26 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 2.6 assists before the Knicks fell to the San Antonio Spurs in five games.

6. Kristaps Porziņģis, Courtney Lee, Tim Hardaway Jr., and Trey Burke for Dennis Smith Jr., DeAndre Jordan, Wesley Matthews, and Two First-Round Picks

Kristaps Porziņģis was thought to be the next biggest star in New York, as he made the All-Star team in his third season in the league in 2018.

However, the No. 4 pick of the 2015 NBA Draft grew frustrated with the direction of the organization and requested a trade, leading the Knicks to send him to the Dallas Mavericks in February 2019.

7. Patrick Ewing, Chris Dudley, and First-Round Pick for Luc Longley, Vernon Maxwell, Lazaro Borrell, Vladimir Stepania, Glen Rice, and Travis Knight

Patrick Ewing was dealt to the Seattle SuperSonics in 2000 in a four-team trade featuring the Lakers and Phoenix Suns.

Ewing was a dominant interior force, as he helped the Knicks get to the 1994 NBA Finals before falling to the Houston Rockets in seven games.

The 11-time All-Star finished fourth in MVP voting four times during his time in New York.