New York Knicks: A recent history of traded first-round picks

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DENVER – NOVEMBER 18: Stephon Marbury #3 of the New York Knicks looks on before playing against the Denver Nuggets on November 18, 2005 at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado. The Nuggets won 95-86. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2005 NBAE (Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images) /

Knicks acquire: Stephon Marbury, Anfernee Hardaway and Cezary Trybanski

Suns acquire: Antonio McDyess, Charlie Ward, Maciej Lampe, Milos Vujanic, a 2004 first round pick and a 2010 first round pick

At the time, the New York Knicks acquisition of Stephon Marbury made headlines; it returned a player home, one that made two NBA All-Star games and consistently averaged 20 points and eight assists for the Minnesota Timberwolves, New Jersey Nets and Phoenix Suns.

The Marbury era had its positives and negatives. He found success in the 2004-05 season, with 21.7 points and 8.1 assists in 82 games. The numbers slipped from there, however, even in the perceived “peak” years at ages 28-30, due to injuries that cost him part of 2005-06 and most of 2007-08.

To backtrack, though, the Knicks also acquired a rundown Penny Hardaway for the aforementioned injury-prone McDyess, longtime Knick Charlie Ward, and Maciej Lampe and Milos Vujanic who only had cups of coffee in the NBA.

There were two first-rounders involved in the deal: 2004 and 2010. The former became Kirk Snyder, who spent a handful of years as a role player with the Utah Jazz, Houston Rockets and Minnesota Timberwolves. However, the 2010 pick became … Gordon Hayward.

The Suns sent the 2010 pick to Utah in a 2004 deal that dumped Tom Gugliotta’s contract. Six years later, it turned into a top 10 selection, and Hayward went on to have seven quality years in Salt Lake City, until the 2017 departure to the Boston Celtics.

The Knicks acquired Marbury six years before the Hayward pick conveyed, but they still lost two first-round selections that landed in the top 20. Even if their 2004 pick did not become Snyder, Josh Smith, J.R. Smith, Dorrell Wright, Jameer Nelson, Tony Allen and Kevin Martin all filled out the rest of the first round.

Possibilities existed, but because of the win-now mindset, even when the Knicks were falling apart, it cost them two assets across a distant span.

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