Coming into the second half of the NBA Cup final, the New York Knicks chances at winning the in-season tournament were slim. The San Antonio Spurs held a two-point lead and remained in the driver's seat until the fourth quarter. That’s when momentum swung in the Knicks' direction, as they began shooting the lights out. Jordan Clarkson hit two consecutive threes before OG Anunoby got in on the action. Before you knew it, Tyler Kolek and Mitchell Robinson were making shots and playing tough defense against San Antonio. This gave the Knicks a clear advantage and a decisive 124-113 victory.

With the NBA Cup in their possession, the Knicks winning ways continued against the Indiana Pacers, whom they defeated thanks to Jalen Brunson’s game winning three. Their momentum began to fade after they were outmatched by division rivals Philadelphia 76ers. That night, it seemed the Knicks had fallen back down to earth until Sunday’s game against the Miami Heat.

Brunson had another statement performance, scoring 47 points, which is his career best at Madison Square Garden. His performance gave the Knicks their 20th win of the season and 14th at home. Games like these have put them in a great position to take the top seed in the Eastern Conference from the Detroit Pistons. What I think will help them even more is for the front office to make two moves before the league’s Feb. 2 trade deadline.

Today’s Hottest Take: The Knicks should trade for either Donte DiVincenzo or Jose Alvarado

Before this season got underway, there was talk about the Knicks making a blockbuster trade for Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo. But the deal fell through after both sides couldn’t create a suitable deal. Fast-forward a few months, and Antetokounmpo’s time with the Bucks might end this season. Even though I would love to see the Knicks go all in for the two-time league MVP, it just doesn’t seem realistic. If New York wants to trade for Antetokounmpo, that would mean giving up Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges or Anunoby, who have been key to the team's recent success. I completely understand that Towns and Bridges have not been playing as well compared to last season, but trading them for Antetokounmpo will be risky. Rather than risk it all, I think the Knicks should make two other moves to add more depth and shooting to the lineup.

The first of which would be for Donte DiVincenzo, who was traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Towns. To reunite with DiVincenzo, the Knicks will likely have to give up young talent and draft capital. If I’m the team's front office, that's a deal I’m willing to make because DiVincenzo is a good shooter and is familiar with the team already. In his lone season with the Knicks, he averaged 15.5 points per game on 40.1% from three. A secondary trade they can make is for veteran guard Jose Alvarado from the New Orleans Pelicans. I think trading for Alvarado is the safer option because it would mean only giving up draft picks to acquire him. Alvarado’s main upside is his playmaking and shot-creating abilities. He can be the Knicks' backup guard alongside Clarkson and Kolek.

Before You Go: The Knicks Have Time Before the Trade Deadline

If trade talk excites you, the one thing that you should keep in mind is that we still have time until the deadline. The Knicks are in luck, because they still have a good team that can compete even without making any major additions. Their starting rotation has all been playing well enough when it matters most. Making trades will help them reach another level. The Knicks will also benefit from a rather light upcoming schedule with matchups against the Spurs, 76ers and Pistons being the most important.