Knicks Could Keep Wiseman and Bruce Brown

A proposed Pacôme Dadiet trade could help the Knicks keep James Wiseman and Bruce Brown. Here’s the roster dilemma and the potential cost.

The New York Knicks face a difficult choice as they work to finalize their roster: prioritize another center or retain a veteran capable of covering multiple perimeter roles.

James Wiseman and Bruce Brown appear to be two of the strongest candidates for the remaining opening.Keeping both would require additional maneuvering—and potentially sacrificing a younger player and draft assets.

The Athletic’s James L. Edwards III outlined one possible route: moving Pacôme Dadiet, potentially alongside second-round picks, in a deal designed to reduce salary commitments.

That is a proposed scenario, not a report that a trade has been agreed upon or that a specific team is negotiating with New York.

Why the Knicks Might Want Both Players

Wiseman and Brown offer different types of roster insurance.

Keeping Wiseman would give the Knicks another option at center. Retaining Brown would add an experienced player whose defensive versatility could help cover absences among the guards and wings.

The decision therefore extends beyond determining which player has the stronger individual case. New York must consider where it needs depth and how each candidate fits alongside the players already on the roster.

Finding room for both could address two needs at once, provided the cost of creating that flexibility makes sense.

How Pacôme Dadiet Enters the Discussion

Edwards identified a potential salary-clearing trade involving Dadiet and a couple of second-round selections as one way to explore the possibility.

Such a transaction would require another team willing to accept the contract and an agreement on compensation. Its usefulness would also depend on the final financial structure and the Knicks’ remaining room under their spending constraints.

The suggested draft picks are part of that calculation. Attaching assets could make a deal more attractive to another franchise, but it would increase New York’s price for keeping additional veterans.

The front office would have to judge whether the immediate roster benefit justified that expense.

Bruce Brown Brings a Championship Background

Brown’s appeal includes experience contributing to a title-winning team. He averaged 11.5 points per game during Denver’s 2022–23 championship season.

His ability to handle different defensive assignments could give the Knicks another option when injuries or matchups require adjustments.

That versatility is particularly relevant to a team trying to preserve dependable combinations over a long season. A reserve who can contribute across multiple positions may help reduce the disruption caused by an unavailable rotation player.

Past production, however, does not automatically establish his future role in New York. The Knicks would still need to determine how his current game fits their requirements.

Moving Dadiet Would Mean Giving Up Developmental Potential

Dadiet’s limited opportunities make a sweeping judgment about his ceiling difficult.

For the Knicks, the question would be whether they can afford to keep investing a roster place in his development while pursuing another championship. For a potential acquiring team, the attraction could be the opportunity to evaluate him in a different environment.

That creates a familiar tension between immediate depth and longer-term possibilities.

Including draft compensation would make the decision more consequential. New York would be spending assets to move on from a young player while improving its ability to retain veterans.

A Possible Solution, Not a Confirmed Plan

The Knicks’ Wiseman–Bruce Brown roster decision remains a question of priorities and resources.

Choosing one player would allow New York to fill the opening without the additional cost of the proposed trade. Pursuing room for both could provide broader coverage, but only if a workable transaction becomes available.

The scenario is worth considering because it addresses two different roster needs. Whether it is worth executing depends on the asking price—and how much the Knicks believe each player can contribute once the season begins.