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Knicks dump Kemba Walker and go trade crazy on 2022 draft night

By Jordanna Clark

Jun 23, 2022; Brooklyn, NY, USA; The 2022 NBA draft class poses for a photo with commissioner Adam Silver before the 2022 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 23, 2022; Brooklyn, NY, USA; The 2022 NBA draft class poses for a photo with commissioner Adam Silver before the 2022 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports /
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New York Knicks fans, what’s going on? At this point in the 2022 NBA Draft, the Knicks should’ve already drafted a player, but that has yet to happen.

New York didn’t trade up to No. 4 or No. 5 for Jaden Ivey, who went to the Detroit Pistons. After Ivey was selected, it was reported that the Knicks were still in contact with the Pistons for Ivey.

Jalen Duren’s name was mentioned as a player that Detroit was interested in and for a brief moment fans thought that if New York were to select Duren at No. 11, he could be sent to the Pistons in a package for Ivey. That didn’t happen because it was then reported that Detroit wasn’t willing to trade Ivey.

At that point, Knicks fans had started to come to terms with staying put at No. 11. However, after the Washington Wizards selected Johnny Davis at No. 10, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported that New York was going to trade Ousmane Dieng, the No. 11 pick, to the Oklahoma City Thunder, who had the No. 12 pick (and OKC kept that pick).

Knicks’ front office leaves fans in confusion on 2022 NBA Draft night

The Charlotte Hornets, who had the No. 13 pick, selected Jalen Duren. It’s not known yet how, but the Knicks somehow acquired Duren, who was sent to the Pistons along with Kemba Walker (subscription required). At that point, fans once again thought that a deal for Ivey was in the making, but again, that wasn’t the case.

So, if you’re trying to keep up (and I think that we all are), Detroit ended up with both Ivey and Duren, two lottery picks, after having only one first-round pick.

And as of right now, the only thing that’s known is that New York parted ways with Walker, who will reportedly agree to a buyout and enter free agency, per Adrian Wojnarowski. The “multiple first-round picks” that the Knicks got from the Thunder for the No. 11 pick aren’t known. How New York acquired Duren isn’t known.

Most importantly, what Leon Rose and New York are trying to do amidst the mess is unknown, but the Knicks could be working to create cap space for free agency, which begins next week.

If all of this ends up bursting into flames, this night could go down as one of the most chaotic nights in the history of the organization. And as you all know, that’s saying something.

I wish that I could provide you with clarity, but I can’t. All that I can say is thank you, Kemba. Best of luck to you moving forward.

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