NEW YORK — The Knicks are moving up.
Leon Rose's first trade as team president is for the Utah Jazz's 23rd pick in Wednesday night's draft, the team announced. The Knicks are swapping the Nos. 27 and 38 picks to Utah. The strategy is to either use the pick on a targeted player who the Knicks don't believe will get past 23 or use the better pick as part of a package to move up further in the draft.
Currently, the Knicks hold the eighth and 23rd picks. They're in the market for a point guard but that could also arrive via trade or free agency. New York GM Scott Perry acquired the 27th pick from the Clippers in February by trading Marcus Morris' expiring contract. Perry also got the 38th pick from the Hornets by trading Willy Hernangomez in 2018. Together, those assets got New York the 23rd pick in the 2020 draft.
As part of Wednesday's deal, the Knicks also acquired the draft rights to Croatian Ante Tomic from the Jazz. Tomic, 33, was picked in 2008 by the Jazz and is not expected to play in the NBA.
