The Most Underrated Move the Knicks Have Made This Summer

Leon Rose was working the phones during the draft, and it could pay off down the line.

The Knicks have some extra trade ammo thanks to the draft. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The newly crowned NBA champion New York Knicks have been quite busy over the last few weeks as they prepare to defend their title this upcoming season. Leon Rose and the Knicks’ front office prioritized signing multi-year deals with Jose Alvarado and Landry Shamet before free agency began, which will give them more bench depth.

The Knicks also signed Andre Drummond, who will be expected to be a factor immediately with Mitchell Robinson gone.

However, what if we told you that none of the signings the Knicks made so far was their most savvy move this summer?

You have to go back to the 2026 NBA Draft, when the Knicks selected Jack Kayil and Tyler Nickel in the second round. But they also gathered four future second-round picks, which could be great assets either this upcoming season or down the road.

Knicks picking up more draft capital could help them in their title defense quest

Now, we know that Knicks fans weren’t pleased to see the team continue to trade during the first and second rounds of the draft, as there was talent on the board to help them fill needs in the present and future. Tarris Reed Jr. and Isaiah Evans both would've been exciting additions.

But “in Leon Rose We Trust,” Knicks fans also understood that owner James Dolan placed a self-imposed second-apron mandate on the front office, limiting them in what they could do.

Luckily, the Knicks’ front office didn’t panic and instead recouped four future second-round picks that could be useful in finding a third center. The Knicks still don’t have a replacement for Ariel Hukporti and possess few positive trade assets if they don't want to let Miles McBride go.

Let us not forget that the Knicks acquired Alvarado from the New Orleans Pelicans in exchange for Dalen Terry and two second-round picks this past season. And we saw how much Alvarado impacted the NBA Finals, so no one should second-guess the value of second-round picks.

Going back to the center discussion, the Knicks could absolutely use a second-round pick or two, plus maybe McBride’s expiring contract, to trade for a big man. A couple of options that come to mind are Moussa Diabate and Ryan Kalkbrenner of the Charlotte Hornets.

In fact, Marc Stein and Jake Fischer of The Stein Line reported last week that before New York signed Drummond, they were “monitoring” Diabate’s status. Given that the young center is set to make $2.46 million this upcoming season, he would’ve been a perfect get for the Knicks, as he’s athletic and can play above the rim.

It wouldn’t be surprising if the Knicks continue to keep an eye on Diabate, especially with how crowded the Hornets’ frontcourt is. We know that they’ve been heavy on Yves Missi of the New Orleans Pelicans, but have been rebuffed recently in their pursuit.

Both Diabate and Missi would be upgrades over Drummond, and are players that the Knicks could keep around long-term if they see fit. Rose could call about either guy closer to the deadline as both of their current teams may have different feelings about them come February.

Lastly, another option to keep an eye on is Kyle Filipowski of the Utah Jazz. He’s heading into his third season and could be enticing for New York, given his ability to stretch the floor. And not to mention, the Jazz are stuck in a notorious rebuilding phase; why not throw a couple of seconds at them to see if it captures their attention?

That being said, we should keep a close eye on what Rose does with these second-round picks, as he could find another diamond in the rough who makes one or two changing plays when it matters the most.