The Knicks started Round 2 of the NBA draft just like Round 1.
They started the day with the Nos. 31, 47 and 55 picks. But they traded Nos. 31 and 55 to the Rockets in exchange for Nos. 39 and 52 along with a future Kings second-rounder, according to ESPN. It left open the possibility to further trade back further or out of the draft completely.
It is clear that the Knicks, who have limited space to stay under the second apron, which owner James Dolan said they intend to do, did not want to pick in the first round and pay the salary that comes with the guaranteed contracts first-rounders get. Even though second-rounders are usually less expensive and don’t automatically get guaranteed contracts, the Knicks opted against making a selection at the beginning of the round.
On Tuesday, the Knicks started with the No. 24 pick but, after a series of three trades, moved out of the first round and left with five additional second-round picks, the draft rights to three international players who are unlikely to ever sniff the NBA and cash.
The Knicks have six roster spots to fill and have decisions to make on their own free agents, namely Mitchell Robinson and Landry Shamet. If Jose Alvarado does not pick up his $4.5 million player option, the Knicks would be $21 million under the second apron. If he does pick it up, they would be just $16.5 million under the second apron and still have to sign five players.
And that does not include Mo Diawara and his contract – the Knicks plan to bring him back on a multiyear deal worth around $10 million. So once that is finalized, the Knicks will have a bit less than that either $21 million or $16.5 million.
Given how tight their finances are, it makes sense why the Knicks couldn’t afford to bring in any rookies in the first or beginning of the second round.
It would only make sense if the Knicks envisioned one of those rookies being a replacement for one of their free agents in the rotation. That made it clear that was not the case
