NY Knicks: Grading the 3 trades NY made during 2021 NBA Draft
Trade #1 – NY Knicks receive a Future 1st, Charlotte Receives Pick 19
So…this trade…this trade right here. It puzzles me.
I understand why it was done, but I still can’t wrap my head around exactly why it was done…if that makes sense.
Essentially, the front office punted the pick and is banking on the Hornets regressing in a few years.
Either that or the pick is never actually going to be used by the Knicks and will instead be included in a trade package for something else later on down the line.
Either way, the trade itself confuses me.
From what I read online, the pick is Top 18 protected for next season, Top 16 protected the season after that, and Top 14 protected in 2024 and 2025.
The pick converts to two 2nd round picks if it’s not conveyed by 2025.
I just feel like the Knicks could have gotten more value here just in case they end up getting stuck using the pick.
This will be a heavily-protected 2022 Charlotte first-rounder going to New York, with protections that decrease over the next 3 seasons, per sources. Specifics coming. https://t.co/TlnGYxiovu
— Zach Lowe (@ZachLowe_NBA) July 30, 2021
What if the Hornets are a lot better next year and we just traded the 19th pick this season for the 19th or 20th pick next year?
I really don’t like the upside here, especially with all of the talent on the board at 19 still.
Clearly, the Knicks weren’t in love with any of the players available, and the moved draft pick saved them an additional $2.3 million in cap space for this offseason.
But with Nerlens Noel likely leaving in free agency, drafting Kentucky’s Isaiah Jackson or Texas’ Kai Jones could have been a cheap alternative to the backup center spot.
It’s far more likely that the Knicks will be paying more for whichever backup they decide to sign in free agency.