The New York Knicks were dealt a tough blow after multiple reports on September 23 revealed that their starting center, Mitchell Robinson, will be out until December or January because he has not fully recovered from his May surgery on his left ankle.
Robinson’s unavailability for the first two-plus months of the season and Isaiah Hartenstein‘s departure in free agency left the Knicks without a starting-caliber center.
In the wake of this development, The Athletic’s new Knicks beat reporter James Edwards III pitched a trade proposal that could solve the Knicks center woes.
New York Knicks receive: Walker Kessler
Utah Jazz receive: Miles McBride and 2025 first-round pick (via Detroit)
“This is pretty straightforward. The Knicks are unable to take back more salary than they send out, so to get someone like Kessler, who is owed $2.9 million this season, they would have to trade McBride or the combination of rookies Tyler Kolek and Pacôme Dadiet. Given that the Knicks are short on inexperienced, young talent as they try to chase a championship, the former seems more practical,” Edwards wrote on September 24.
Value of Knicks Trade Package
McBride is on one of the best value deals in the league, signing a three-year, $13 million contract. He broke through in the post-Immanuel Quickley trade, averaging 10.7 points and 2.1 assists in 49 games. After the NBA All-Star break, he was even better as he normed 11.7 points, 2.5 assists, 2.3 rebounds and 2.2 3-pointers per game.
But he becomes expendable with the signing of veteran point guard Cam Payne and the selection of Tyler Kolek in the second round of the last NBA draft.
The draft pick from the Pistons is top-13 protected in the next draft and is unlikely to convey. The protection diminishes each season it doesn’t convey (top-11 in 2026 and top-9 in 2027) until it becomes two second-round picks if not conveyed after 2027.
It also represents the last meaningful draft capital for the Knicks after giving up five first-round picks in the Mikal Bridges trade.
However, one challenge for the Knicks is they will have to deal with the Jazz, whose CEO Danny Ainge is known as “Trader Danny” because of his history of fleecing teams at the negotiation table.
The Knicks inquired about Kessler earlier in the offseason, according to Bleacher Report’s Eric Pincus. But those talks have stalled because of the Jazz’s high asking price.
Walker Kessler’s Fit with Knicks
In this hypothetical deal, the Knicks are getting Kessler, the second-best shot blocker in the league last season. Kessler averaged 2.4 per blocks per game, behind San Antonio Spurs Rookie of the Year Victor Wembanyama (3.6).
Kessler’s rim protection, if the Knicks acquire him, would be key in the Knicks’ defensive coverage under Tom Thibodeau, who deters opposing teams from attacking the paint.
As an added bonus, he is still on a rookie contract.
Kessler also flirted with a double-double average over his first two seasons in the NBA. In 138 games, including 62 starts, Kessler averaged 8.7 points and 8.0 rebounds in just 23.2 minutes.
Kessler, the 22nd overall pick in 2022, was part of the Jazz’s haul from the Rudy Gobert trade.
The 7-foot Kessler played for Team USA in last year’s FIBA World Cup in Manila, Philippines, after his inclusion in the All-NBA Rookie First Team.
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