NBA Rumors: Knicks, 76ers Among Teams Who Could Trade 1st-Round Picks in 2024 Draft

The New York Knicks and Philadelphia 76ers are reportedly seen as possible candidates to trade their first-round picks in next month’s NBA draft, per The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie.

The 76ers, who were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by the Knicks, have the No. 16 pick in the draft but “are seen league-wide as a candidate” to move that piece, according to Vecenie. Philadelphia is looking to add a star this offseason and could use its draft pick to help land one.

New York has a pair of first-round picks at No. 24 and No. 25, but Vecenie noted that head coach Tom Thibodeau might not want two first-round rookies on his squad and would rather have future assets.

The Knicks have a solid core with stars Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle, and adding two late-round rookies to the mix might not be a worthwhile investment. Instead, New York could use its draft capital to find another role player to help it compete for a championship.

The Knicks are currently facing the Indiana Pacers in the second round and looking to reach the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since the 1999-2000 season.

Like New York, the 76ers are on the brink of being a Finals contender, but are likely one piece away from getting to that point.

The missing piece could be a veteran like Jimmy Butler or Brandon Ingram, who have both been linked to the 76ers. Paul George, who has a player option for the 2024-25 season, is also reportedly a top free-agent target for Philadelphia.

As valuable as rookies can be, the 76ers and Knicks would both likely benefit more from an already-established player, so it won’t be a shock to see both teams deal their first-round picks this year.