As new-champ Knicks start quiet, 2 NBA trades shifted basketball landscape
· Yahoo Sports
The Knicks may have had a modest start to the 2026 NBA offseason, but that’s not stopping the rest of the league from shifting around the newfound champions in an attempt to make a title run of their own.
Against a mandate from ownership not to go above the $220 million second apron, the Knicks re-signed rising sophomore forward Mohamed Diawara to a $10 million deal, traded out of the first round of the 2026 NBA Draft, and selected German guard Jack Kayil (No. 39) and Vanderbilt’s Tyler Nickel in the second round on Wednesday.
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The Knicks are tasked with rebuilding a championship roster around a $192 million starting lineup — and could likely lose both Mitchell Robinson and Landry Shamet in free agency this offseason. They also await Jose Alvarado’s decision on his $4.5 million player option for the 2026-27 season.
Giannis traded to the Heat
It wasn’t Boston after all. The Milwaukee Bucks opted against a trade package reportedly centered around Celtics’ All-Star Jaylen Brown and sent former two-time league Most Valuable Player Giannis Antetokounmpo plus veteran forward Bobby Portis to the Miami Heat. In exchange, the Bucks received a stimulus package: Tyler “Hometown” Herro, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kel’el Ware, Kasparas Jakucionis, pick No. 13 in the 2026 NBA Draft (Tennessee’s Nate Ament), first-round picks in 2031 and 2033, a 2030 first-round pick swap and a 2033 second-round pick swap.
If it sounds like a lot, that’s because it is: the Heat bet the house what amounts to Giannis, Bam Adebayo, Andrew Wiggins, Nikola Jovic, Davion Mitchell and Pelle Larrson. Not exactly the kind of roster that inspires fear in the reigning champs — but re-signing Norman Powell and finding quality depth could change the tone of the conversation on South Beach.
The Hornets did what?
After trading away Karl-Anthony Towns only to watch him win a championship in New York two years later, the Minnesota Timberwolves needed a home run to keep franchise cornerstone Anthony Edwards happy. It’s unclear whether or not the ball is out of the park, but the Wolves swung for the fences in a deal for LaMelo Ball.
The deal answers questions regarding the Julius Randle salary dump with the Brooklyn Nets: It created enough room to re-sign Ayo Dosunmu plus take on LaMelo Ball’s contract in a deal sending Naz Reid, a 2033 first-round pick, three first-round pick swaps, and a second-round pick to the Charlotte Hornets.
The Wolves are easily the most exciting back court in basketball. Most importantly, they remain relevant, part of the title hunt out West — though their front court now has questions with Rudy Gobert assuming the lion’s share of the responsibilities in the paint.
Reid brings toughness to the Hornets’ young core, and they can take their newfound draft capital plus his contract and flip it in a bigger deal down the road.
Nets land Randle
Two things can be true at the same time: Julius Randle will help the Nets win more games. That might not be a good thing for their long-term outlook. Make no mistake: There won’t be many shots to go around on a bad Nets team featuring Randle, Michael Porter Jr. and a cast of young prospects. That said, Randle is a competitor. He has a chip on his shoulder in a contract year. He has a bone to pick with the Knicks, who traded him for Towns and have since won a championship. And he’s helped resuscitate a franchise before — the Knicks, where he signed in 2019, the same summer the Nets landed Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving.
The Nets will be more competitive with Randle on their roster. They won’t be, however, remotely as competitive as the Knicks or the Timberwolves.
Claxton to the Bulls
As part of the Randle trade, the Nets sent Nic Claxton to the Chicago Bulls. Claxton should benefit tremendously from playing in an up-tempo offense alongside a true point guard in Josh Giddey.
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