The New York Knicks control the 24th and 25th picks in the 2024 NBA Draft, and according to one NBA writer, they are likely to trade both first-round picks.
Knicks predicted to trade first-round draft picks
According to The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie, the Knicks may be better off packaging both late-round picks in a trade for a proven championship-quality player than developing them on their roster, which is already established as a true threat in the Eastern Conference (h/t Bleacher Report’s Andrew Peters).
“New York has a pair of first-round picks at No. 24 and No. 25, but Vecenie noted that head coach Tom Thibodeau might not want two first-round rookies on his squad and would rather have future assets,” Peters said about Vecenie’s forecast.
Knicks: Head coach Tom Thibodeau thrives with veteran rosters
Coach Thibodeau, noted for his hard-nosed coaching style, has historically had the most success with rosters lead by experienced players. He won the NBA Coach of the Year award in 2011 with the Chicago Bulls and again in 2021 with the Knicks. That Bulls club had no rookies on the roster and made it to the Eastern Conference Finals that season.
The 2021 Knicks only featured two rookies, Immanuel Quickley and Obi Toppin, yet they advanced to the playoffs for the first time since 2012-13. In general, Thibodeau’s style works better with experienced players who know their way around the league.
Knicks won’t trade draft picks based on coaching but could leverage first-rounders for All-Star talents
The Knicks will not base their roster decisions simply on who mans the sidelines. Furthermore, jewels appear at all points of the first round, as history has demonstrated.
Nonetheless, the Knicks have an established core, with eleven active players who have made significant contributions to the rotation. Knicks president Leon Rose will have to decide whether providing selections 24 and 25 coupled with a coveted star (or stars) on the team will generate more interest in the trade market than offloading a large number of current roster players.
The Knicks are heavily linked to several potential All-Stars, including Los Angeles Clippers star Paul George and Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James, both of whom have player options for next season, as well as a slew of other star players they could trade for outright, such as Cleveland Cavaliers captain Donovan Mitchell.
