An Unexpected Trade Partner Could Help the Knicks Fix a Serious Roster Problem
The New York Knicks’ intention to move Guerschon Yabusele has become one of the league’s most obvious open secrets. Everyone knows they want to trade him. The problem? Finding a team willing to take him on has proven far more difficult than expected. The biggest obstacle is Yabusele’s player option for the 2026–27 season, which many teams view as an unwanted long-term financial commitment.
While this situation isn’t impossible to resolve, it lacks a clear or straightforward solution. However, an unlikely team may have just emerged as a potential answer: the Atlanta Hawks.
After dealing Trae Young, the Hawks now sit nearly $7 million below the luxury tax threshold. According to NBA insider Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, Atlanta has made it known that it is open to helping other teams reduce their tax burden in exchange for second-round draft picks. That kind of flexibility is extremely valuable—and it’s exactly what the Knicks are desperate for right now.
Why Trading Yabusele Has Been So Difficult for New York
The Knicks are currently hovering just $150,000 below the NBA’s second apron. Even if they aren’t aggressively shopping for roster upgrades, they still need additional breathing room to sign another free agent or convert one of their two-way players into a standard contract.
The issue is that New York isn’t the only team hunting for cap relief. Several teams across the league are either brushing up against the luxury tax line or already sitting above key spending thresholds. Some clubs are within $7.5 million of the tax and are determined to stay under it, while five other teams—aside from the Knicks—are already above the first apron and therefore restricted from taking on extra salary in trades. As a result, nearly half the league is effectively ruled out as a potential cost-cutting partner.
And the situation becomes even more limiting. Another five teams are less than $3.4 million away from the luxury tax and appear unwilling to cross that line under any circumstances. That wipes out even more potential destinations for Yabusele.
There are still a few teams with significant cap flexibility, such as the Brooklyn Nets, Utah Jazz, and Washington Wizards. But that flexibility comes at a price. Those teams aren’t eager to absorb unwanted contracts unless they’re compensated. For the Knicks, that presents another challenge.
New York lacks tradable first-round picks and is hesitant to part with second-rounders, especially while keeping assets intact for a potential blockbuster pursuit of Giannis Antetokounmpo. That makes even a basic salary-dump trade harder to execute.
How the Hawks Could Provide a Way Out
This is where Atlanta’s openness to absorbing extra salary becomes crucial. With New York’s options dwindling, even long-shot ideas—like using Victor Wembanyama’s connection to Yabusele to entice the Spurs—don’t appear realistic.
The Hawks won’t take on Yabusele’s contract for nothing, but they do hold a valuable $13.1 million trade exception from the Bogdan Bogdanović deal, which expires at the trade deadline. That exception allows Atlanta to absorb a player’s salary without sending matching money back. If the Knicks attach a second-round pick, the Hawks could take on Yabusele outright, creating nearly $6 million in breathing room for New York under the second apron.
There’s also room to expand the deal. The Knicks could target Vit Krejci, a 6-foot-8 playmaking wing under team control through the 2027–28 season at a very low cost. Adding one or two more second-round picks could both reduce payroll and bring in a useful rotation player. Additional savings could be unlocked if Atlanta is willing to take back Pacome Dadiet or Jordan Clarkson as part of the deal.
This doesn’t mean the Hawks are the perfect or only solution. They’re simply another realistic landing spot for a contract that many teams have shown little interest in absorbing. But in a market where viable options are rapidly disappearing, even one new possibility can make a significant difference for the Knicks.
