Locked On Knicks - Daily Podcast On The New York Knicks
Locked On Knicks - Daily Podcast On The New York Knicks

Why the Knicks Will Trade Deuce McBride This Season + YOUR Mailbag Questions

July 13, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

“The New York Knicks title window is not in 2030, it’s not in 2029, it’s not in 2028. It is right effing now, and they need to act like it.” That blunt declaration from the Locked On Knicks hosts sets the tone for an episode that is less about celebrating the team’s recent championship and more about the uncomfortable roster decisions required to win another one. The central argument is that the Knicks have a narrow, two-season window to contend again, and that this urgency will force them to make a painful but necessary trade: moving fan-favorite guard Deuce McBride for a backup center.

The Case for Trading Deuce McBride

The hosts are confident that Deuce McBride will be traded before the 2025 deadline, not because he is a bad player, but because he has become the most logical asset to move. The logic is straightforward. The Knicks won a title with McBride playing a diminished role in the Finals, and the team has since added more guard depth. The hosts point to Shamet, Alvarado, and rookie Nickel as players who can replicate or exceed McBride’s defensive role. Josh Hart, in particular, was singled out as being “clearly better than Deuce defensively in the playoffs.” With a logjam at guard and a glaring need for a reliable backup center behind Andre Drummond, McBride’s contract and skill set make him the prime trade chip.

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What you'll learn

  • 1 (02:09) **Opening: Knicks' Must-Win-Now Window & Deuce McBride Trade Prediction** - The hosts set the thesis: the Knicks' title window is immediate, and they argue Deuce McBride will be traded this season to address the backup center need.
  • 2 (02:39) **Opening Night & Christmas Matchup Wishes** - The hosts pick their ideal opponents for the Knicks' marquee games and react to each other's choices.
  • 3 (04:41) **Around the League: Offseason Winners & Losers** - XJ and Gavin discuss which teams impressed or disappointed them this offseason.
  • 4 (10:08) **The Core Argument: Why Deuce McBride Will Be Traded** - The hosts detail the logic behind trading Deuce McBride, focusing on his contract value and the team's surplus of guards.
  • 5 (14:13) **The Backup Center Trade Market & Asset Calculus** - The hosts explore what level of center the Knicks could realistically get for Deuce McBride and their draft capital.
  • 6 (17:47) **The Two-Year Window & Jalen Brunson's Extension** - The hosts argue the Knicks have only two more prime seasons to win another title before the core ages and costs escalate.
  • 7 (20:48) **Summer League Skepticism: Why You Can't Judge Players** - The hosts push back on a listener's claim that poor Summer League performance predicts a bad pro career.

+ Full timestamped outline available in the app

Show Notes

Gavin Schall and XJ take YOUR mailbag questions. The duo explain why the Knicks should play the Philadelphia 76ers on opening night, why Deuce McBride WILL be traded this season, and why right now is the time for the Knicks to try to win a second title.

 

 

Photo Credit: Vincent Carchietta - Imagn Images

 

 

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Locked On Knicks - Daily Podcast On The New York Knicks

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