It's been less than a week since the New York Knicks took home the 2026 NBA Championship, and already, they find themselves diving headfirst into offseason work.
Their first course of action to attacking the summer: trade one of their picks from this year's draft.
Currently, New York holds the 24 and 31 overall spots in next week's festivities, and, according to Jake Fischer, sources have informed him that Leon Rose is "planning to move one of the Knicks' two selections."
Though it goes without saying that their lone first-rounder should inherently net more of a return value among the two aforementioned assets, the veteran insider suggested that their selection at the one-two turn could spark a bidding war like such picks at this spot have in the past.
In his reporting, Fischer recalled that an "overnight trade auction" took place during last year's draft, resulting in the Phoenix Suns shipping out multiple future second-round picks to the Minnesota Timberwolves in exchange for the first pick of round two, which ultimately was used to select Rasheer Fleming out of Saint Joseph's University.
Clearly, Rose and company have an interest in cashing in on one of their two picks in this upcoming draft, and, regardless of which one they part with, it seems quite likely that they'll be able to receive some worthwhile offers in the process.
Pelicans could be a realistic trade partner for Knicks first-round pick
As previously mentioned, first-round picks generally tend to receive more attention from prospective buyers and, in turn, net more substantial trade offers.
One familiar team, in particular, could be desperate enough to dangle a highly enticing package in the Knicks' direction.
In a recent piece penned by ESPN's Anthony Slater, it was revealed that the New Orleans Pelicans have been "signaling" that they are looking into ways to jump into the first round of the 2026 NBA Draft.
Despite finishing with the fifth-worst record in the Western Conference at 26-56, NOLA's number eight overall selection is owned by the Atlanta Hawks thanks to the Dejounte Murray deal made back in July 2024, leaving the currently hapless organization completely pick-less until 58 overall (via Detroit).
Considering their established trade history what with the mid-season exchange that sent Jose Alvarado to the Big Apple, perhaps revisiting the negotiation table could be in the cards for both the Knicks and Pelicans during these final days leading up to the June 23 draft.
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