Berman: The Knicks intend to purchase a second-round pick

Knicks draft workouts should start this week, so we're close to getting a better sense of New York's draft strategy this year. For now, though, it's a total mystery. The organization and coaching staff's apparent distaste for diaperless adults portends a trade or stashing of the 24th pick, while interest in a mid-tier prospect like Shane Larkin suggests the Knicks might use the pick or even trade up if the opportunity presents itself. But yeah, this is all guessing.

We did get one little chicharron of intel from Marc Berman, who wrote today with neither ambiguity nor qualification that "though the Knicks don’t have a second-round pick, they are expected to purchase one". Berman specifically mentions D-III big person A.J. Matthews as a target and upcoming workout invite. So...okay! We don't know where Berman got the notion nor how much to believe it nor what the Knicks would do with a second-round bro, but it's something to keep in mind as the draft approaches. And I suppose we should pay a bit more attention than usual to the seeming randos the team always bring to Greenburgh to flesh out their typical six-man workouts. Or not, since the last time the Knicks bought a second-rounder, they used it on NBA Hall of Famer Josh Harrellson, who-- unless I'm misremembering-- never did a workout in New York.

It's June! Draft month!

Update: As was pointed out by these folks who are much smarter and more patient than I am, the Knicks can not technically "purchase" a second-round pick because they used up the $3 million available for such endeavors in last year's signings (second-rounders go for about $750,000 to $1 million). If they're truly dead set on acquiring a second-rounder, there could be ways around this-- making a small trade instead of an outright purchase, perhaps waiting until after July 1 to officially make a move-- but it's worth noting that a straight draft night satchel-of-cash-for-a-pick swap might not be possible. It'd have to be a little trickier than the way Berman presented it, which I guess should have been assumed since he's prone to glossing over such intricacies. It'd be kinda odd for New York to put so much thought and effort into hooking someone like, say, A.J. Matthews (If he's so great, why not just grab him at 24? And if not, maybe just hope he drops out of the draft entirely?), but you never know. Again, it's just something to keep in mind as we watch the Knicks prepare for June 27.