The New York Knicks have the assets. The question is: Should the Knicks swing for the fences? New York owns a ton of draft capital to go all in on a franchise star to improve their chances of becoming a legitimate contender in the Eastern Conference. As currently constructed, this Knicks team isn't built to go deep into the playoffs. They likely have a second-round ceiling, which is where they ended up last season.

So to answer the question posed above: Yes, the Knicks should go all in and acquire a legitimate franchise star that could raise their ceiling further. But another question can pop up after that: Should they do it now? It depends, really. Who is available in the trade market right now? Damian Lillard and James Harden are perhaps the biggest fish in the sea currently given their current situations with their respective squads. But are those two aging guards worth cashing in on? Perhaps not.

Nonetheless, there are still some deals out there worth gambling on for New York. One entails landing a player who could have been theirs. Another gets them a star whose reputation has soured a bit over the last couple of years. With that said, here are two way-too-early trades the Knicks must pull off this 2023-24 season.

Knicks receive: Zion Williamson, Larry Nance Jr.

Pelicans receive: Julius Randle, Evan Fournier, 2024 and 2026 first round pick, 2028 lottery-protected first round pick

The New Orleans Pelicans were shockingly looking to shop franchise star Zion Williamson prior to the 2023 NBA Draft. If New Orleans is indeed serious about pulling the plug on their prized No. 1 overall pick from 2019, the Knicks should strongly consider trading for the star that Knicks fans believe should have been theirs in the first place.

Sure, Williamson carries a ton of risk due to his injury history. The 23-year-old has only played in 114 out of a possible 308 regular season games. But at the same time, his price has significantly gone down. Perhaps the Knicks can get away with acquiring him alongside Larry Nance Jr. for a package that includes Julius Randle, Evan Fournier, their 2024 and 2026 first round pick, and a lottery-protected 2028 first round pick. Those picks could be worth trading considering they have a bunch of draft assets over the next couple of seasons.

Also, the Knicks finally give up on Randle in this deal after a rather up-and-down stint in New York. The two-time All-Star gets reunited with Brandon Ingram and makes his second go-round in New Orleans.

This trade is certainly worth the gamble considering Williamson is one of the best players in the NBA if healthy. During his lone “healthy” season back in his sophomore year, Williamson averaged 27.0 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 3.7 assists en route to earning his first All-Star selection.

More than anything, this deal raises New York's ceiling to a much higher level than they could with Randle. The injury risk is a huge concern, but it's a gamble worth taking given the heights the Knicks can go to if Zion Williamson stays healthy and pans out.

Knicks receive: Karl-Anthony Towns

Timberwolves receive: Julius Randle, Quentin Grimes, Isaiah Roby, 2024 first round pick, 2026 lottery-protected first round pick

Another former No. 1 overall pick that the Knicks can trade for is Karl-Anthony Towns from the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Knicks may be interested in gauging Minnesota's desire to continue trotting out the Rudy Gobert-Towns tandem up front. Having two 7-footers playing together just doesn't seem right in this day and age of basketball.

Towns has also lost his luster as of late due to his lack of team success. But regardless, KAT is still one of the most offensively gifted big men, not just in today's NBA, but in league history. Not a lot of centers can say they can what Towns can do on the offensive side of the floor.

Towns had perhaps one of the worst individual seasons of his career in 2022-23. He appeared in just 29 games due to a right calf strain he suffered in late November. On the season, he averaged 20.8 points, a career-low 8.1 rebounds, but a career-best 4.8 assists as he made the shift to power forward due to the arrival of Rudy Gobert.

In this deal, the Knicks also give up on Julius Randle and include Quentin Grimes, Isaiah Roby, and a couple of first rounders to acquire the All-Star big man. Losing a promising young guard like Grimes hurts.

But in return, the Knicks get a nightly 25-10 threat in Towns who could hurt opposing defenses in a variety of ways. Pairing him with a point guard like Jalen Brunson, who ironically works best inside the shaded lane, is great fit because of the 27-year-old's ability to space the floor. Towns is a career 39.5 percent sniper from beyond the arc and his presence could help the Knicks improve their standing as just the 19th-best three-point shooting team in the league last season.