The New York Knicks will have another valuable draft asset in their possession this summer, as they have received the Dallas Mavericks’ top-10 protected first-round pick for the 2024 draft, a pick that was sent in the Kristaps Porzingis trade back in the 2019 season.
The Mavericks clinched their spot in the playoffs earlier this week, which allowed the Knicks to take their draft pick. New York had a chance to secure another pick from the Mavericks last season, but they finished short of making the play-in after a rough second half, meaning the draft pick stayed with Dallas.
The Knicks will have a lot of draft capital to work with
Now, the Knicks will enter the 2024 draft with two first-round picks, which they can use either to draft young players or as trade bait for a summer splash acquisition. Through the 2028 draft, New York has eight first-round draft picks, including four over the next two seasons, according to Fanspo.
The Knicks have stockpiled their picks in hopes of acquiring an available superstar, though they were able to substantially improve the roster without giving up any future first-round picks through mid-season trades that brought in OG Anunoby and Bojan Bogdanovic.
However, if they want to set the bar higher and pursue potential targets such as Donovan Mitchell or Paul George, it will likely cost the Knicks multiple first-round picks. Having such a high amount of picks at their disposal puts them in a great position to further upgrade the roster.
The Knicks will focus on this upcoming postseason before thinking about the draft.
For now, the draft is the last thing on the minds of the Knicks, as they have a playoff run to gear up for. They play their last two games of the regular season against the Brooklyn Nets on Friday and the Chicago Bulls on Sunday. Those games will determine their seeding for the Eastern Conference playoffs, which begin on April 22.
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