Who did the Knicks draft? How multiple draft day trades left New York without first-round pick

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The New York Knicks have most of their core locked in for the title-defense season, but as their roster gets more expensive, decisions are coming.

One of the biggest decisions entering the offseason is the future of Mitchell Robinson, who is set to be an unrestricted free agent. Some believed the Knicks might show their hand on Tuesday night at the NBA Draft, where they could have had their choice of big men late in the first round.

Instead, a series of trades sent the Knicks out of the No. 24 pick and into chaos.

Here's what you need to know about the Knicks' draft picks so far.

2026 NBA DRAFT HQ: Live picks tracker | Pick-by-pick grades | Best players still available

Who did the Knicks draft?

The Knicks came out of Tuesday's first round without any players.

While they were on the clock at No. 24 and seemingly drafted Cameron Carr, it was the Lakers who actually made the selection after trading the No. 25 pick and cash considerations to move up to No. 24.

So, what about No. 25? While it initially looked like the Knicks landed Spanish wing Sergio De Larrea, they actually traded him to the Mavericks in a three-team deal. That deal netted the Knicks the falling Koa Peat, but New York rerouted Peat to the Suns in exchange for three second-round picks and cash.

The result was five additional second-round picks for the Knicks plus cash from both the Suns and Lakers as they try to avoid the luxury tax's second apron, but no new players.

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Knicks draft trades

The Knicks made three trades on Tuesday night, netting no players but five picks:

Trade 1

Knicks receive: No. 25 pick, cash
Lakers receive: No. 24 pick

Trade 2

Knicks receive: Koa Peat, two second-round picks
Mavericks receive: Sergio De Larrea

Trade 3

Knicks receive: Three second-round picks, cash
Suns receive: Koa Peat

Final haul

Five second-round picks, cash from Lakers and Suns

The Knicks walked away with five second-round picks and cash from both the Lakers and Suns, which isn't insignificant as they try to find the money to keep their full roster together after winning a championship.

MORE: Best moments from the Knicks championship parade

Knicks draft targets

The Knicks will pick 31st on Wednesday night, kicking off the second round. Here are some of the top options still available.

Isaiah Evans, Duke

Isaiah Evans was the biggest surprise to fall out of the first round, so he has to at least be an option at No. 31. The Duke sharpshooter has a lanky frame, but he's a career 38 percent 3-point shooter and impressed in a featured role with 15 points per game in his sophomore season with the Blue Devils.

Henri Veesaar, North Carolina

The Knicks signaled that they aren't too concerned about losing Mitchell Robinson by passing on both Chris Cenac Jr. and Tarris Reed at No. 25, but North Carolina's Henri Veesaar is still up for grabs at No. 31. Veesaar is a different player than Robinson, as his offensive game is his biggest strength, but he showed some rebuilding and shot-blocking ability in his lone season with the Tar Heels and stepped up offensively when Caleb Wilson went down.

Bruce Thornton, Ohio State

Jose Alvarado has a player option he's likely to decline. What about adding another undersized guard who can handle the ball? Thornton might not be the plucky defender Alvarado is, but he averaged more than a steal per game in each of his last three seasons at Ohio State and shot better than 40 percent from 3-point range over the last two years.

Braden Smith, Purdue

Purdue's Braden Smith resembles Tyler Kolek in that he has every intangible a team could want. A proven leader and arguably college basketball's best passer, Smith was a pure winner at the collegiate level. At barely more than 5-10 without shoes, however, Smith has obvious limitations entering the NBA. Perhaps New York would be willing to overlook that to add him to its backcourt, much the way the Mavericks blocked out the doubts when they drafted Jalen Brunson at this stage of the draft in 2018.

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Who did the Knicks draft? How multiple draft day trades left New York without first-round pick

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