NBA Draft first-round recap: The Knicks made many moves, drafted nobody

Surprising few, the top three picks in tonight’s 2022 NBA Draft were Paolo Banchero, Chet Holmgren, and Jabari Smith.

Surprising many, the Sacramento Kings kept their fourth pick and with it chose Keegan Murray. Other teams made offers for the pick, including the New York Knicks, but the Kings used it to select the talented forward from Iowa. During the telecast, ESPN’s Jay Bilas called Murray “The most ready to plug in right now.”

The Knicks had also attempted to swap with Detroit for their fifth pick. The Pistons kept theirs, too, selecting Jaden Ivey (Purdue) and crushing New York’s dream of landing a Ja Morant-type point guard. There was scuttlebutt about the Pistons taking Ivey with the intention of prolonging trade discussions, but it seems the human rocket will remain in the Motor City.

With the 11th pick, the Knicks chose Ousmane Dieng (F, 6’10”, New Zealand Breakers), but held him for approximately thirty seconds before swapping him with OKC for three conditional, future first round picks.

There was some confusion about Charlotte’s pick at 14. They selected Jalen Duren, who was then traded to the Knicks, who then sent him and Kemba Walker to Detroit. Acquiring the promising center should end the Pistons’ pursuit of Mitchell Robinson and curtail a bidding war for the Knicks’ big man.

According to Stefan Bondy, “The Knicks traded four future second round picks and a conditional first round pick to the Hornets to shed Kemba Walker’s salary.” Zach Lowe added, “The Knicks will also be acquiring the Bucks 2025 first-round pick in the Pistons-Knicks-Hornets trade, per league sources. The Pistons got that MIL pick from Portland in the Jerami Grant deal yesterday.”

And thus concludes the Kemba Walker experiment. Here’s the draft order:

1. Orlando Magic – Paolo Banchero (F, Duke)

2. Oklahoma City Thunder – Chet Holmgren (C, Gonzaga)

3. Houston Rockets – Jabari Smith (F, Auburn)

4. Sacramento Kings – Keegan Murray (F, Iowa)

5. Detroit Pistons – Jaden Ivey (G, Purdue)

6. Indiana Pacers Bennedict Mathurin (F, Arizona)

7. Portland Trail Blazers – Shaedon Sharpe (G, Kentucky)

8. New Orleans Pelicans – Dyson Daniels (G, Ignite)

9. San Antonio Spurs – Jeremy Sochan (F, Baylor)

10. Washington Wizards – Johnny Davis (G, Wisconsin)

11. New York Knicks to Oklahoma City – Ousmane Dieng (F, Breakers)

12. Oklahoma City Thunder – Jalen Williams (G, Santa Clara)

13. Charlotte Hornets to New York to Detroit Pistons – Jalen Duren (C, Memphis)

14. Cleveland Cavaliers – Ochai Agbaji (G, Kansas)

15. Charlotte Hornets – Mark Williams (C, Duke)

16. Atlanta Hawks – AJ Griffin (G, Duke)

17. Houston Rockets – Tari Eason (F, LSU)

18. Chicago Bulls – Dalen Terry (G, Arizona)

19. Minnesota Timberwolves to Memphis – Jake LaRavia (F, Wake Forest)

20. San Antonio Spurs – Malaki Branham (G, Ohio)

21. Denver Nuggets – Christian Braun (G, Kansas)

22. Memphis Grizzlies to Minnesota– Walker Kessler (C, Auburn)

23. Philadelphia 76ers to Memphis – David Roddy (G, Colorado State)

24. Milwaukee Bucks – MarJon Beauchamp (G, Ignite)

25. San Antonio Spurs – Blake Wesley (G, Notre Dame)

26. Dallas Mavericks to Minnesota – Wendell Moore, Jr. (F, Duke)

27. Miami Heat – Nikola Jovic (F, Mega Mozzart)

28. Golden State Warriors – Patrick Baldwin, Jr. (F, Milwaukee)

29. Memphis Grizzlies to the Rockets – TyTy Washington, Jr. (G, Kentucky)

30. Oklahoma City Thunder – Peyton Watson (F, UCLA)

The Knicks currently have the 42 pick in the second round. Unless they swap it. Which is likely.

Professor’s got more for you tomorrow! G’night, Knickerbockers.