The New York Knicks approach the 2024 NBA Draft holding the 24th and 25th overall selections. Their strategy for these picks remains uncertain, though it is widely anticipated that New York will trade at least one of them.
Knicks president Leon Rose has a history of making trades during drafts throughout his tenure, with the exception of 2023 when the team had no picks. He maneuvered positions at the end of the 2020 first round to acquire Immanuel Quickley while maintaining the eighth overall pick to draft Obi Toppin. In the 2021 draft, he traded picks to secure Quentin Grimes and Miles McBride and made several trades in 2022 to accumulate future draft capital. Rose is known for his active draft-night strategies.
The Knicks currently boast a deep roster with most key players under contract, complemented by three promising draft picks. In the latest ESPN mock draft by Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo, the Knicks are projected to select Duke’s Kyle Filipowski at 24 and Virginia’s Ryan Dunn at 25. However, both analysts indicate that there is a widespread expectation for New York to trade one of these picks.
Givony notes: “Most teams don’t expect the Knicks to keep both of their first-round picks, meaning this selection might very well end up in another team’s hands. Trading one of their two picks for a future first-rounder would likely help for trade flexibility down the road, but it remains to be seen what the market will look like on draft night, as picks in the early second round are being viewed as valuable ones due to the salary cap and luxury tax flexibility they offer.”
The Knicks also hold the 38th overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, giving them a solid second-round option to either add another young talent or use as trade leverage. With Isaiah Hartenstein and OG Anunoby potentially entering free agency, the Knicks might use one of their picks to find a player ready to step into the rotation should either player leave. Filipowski and Dunn could fit these roles, though Filipowski’s defensive weaknesses and Dunn’s limited offensive upside suggest room for development.
Predicting the Knicks’ specific trades in this draft is challenging. Trading up could be advantageous if they favor a particular prospect, but the talent pool around their draft range is fairly similar. They might also package one or both picks with Mitchell Robinson’s or Bojan Bogdanovic’s contracts to upgrade without impacting cap space significantly. New York has multiple options, but their final decisions will likely unfold on draft night.
Ultimately, while the futures of Hartenstein and Anunoby are crucial to New York’s offseason, the draft offers a significant opportunity to enhance their team.
