The New York Knicks did not wait until the time of the 2020 NBA Draft to execute a trade to move up— facilitating a deal with the Utah Jazz to get it done.
According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the Knicks executed a trade with the Jazz to trade the No. 27 and No. 38 selections in the 2020 NBA Draft in exchange for the No. 23 pick.
The New York Knicks are moving up in Wednesday’s NBA draft, acquiring the Utah Jazz’s pick at No. 23 in exchange for the No. 27 and No. 38 selections, sources told ESPN.
The Knicks will now hold the No. 8 and No. 23 picks in Wednesday’s draft, the first for the team under new president of basketball operations Leon Rose.
The Knicks trading up makes plenty of sense since they already have plenty of recently selected NBA Draft prospects who still need time to develop. Having an earlier position and not needing two roster spots dedicated to more prospects is a logical approach.
It has been a strength of the Jazz to find talent on the margins of their roster. By trading down to have multiple chances in the NBA Draft, it could help maximize their chances of hitting on one of their picks.
RELATED: Knicks, Lakers have had trade talks about Kyle Kuzma
The New York Knicks already hold the No. 8 pick in the 2020 NBA Draft— creating a potential pathway for the No. 23 pick to be used in a trade up if desired. It just remains to be seen whether they hold a favorable enough of a view of a particular prospect to make such a move.
NBA Analysis Network brings you up-to-date information, news, and analysis about the 2020 NBA Draft, New York Knicks, and Utah Jazz, along with all 30 teams in the league. Make sure to give us a follow on Twitter and like our Facebook page.
