Knicks select Tyler Kolek and Kevin McCullers Jr. in 2024 NBA Draft

Somewhere, somehow, someway, the Leon Rose-led Knicks front office is still trading draft picks.

For the Knicks, the second day of the NBA Draft was much like the first: this time with more picks, lots of moving and dealing.

And after taking French forward Pacom Dadiot with pick No. 25 on Wednesday, the Knicks got backcourt help by taking Marquette guard Tyler Kolek at pick No. 34 on Thursday, before picking up Kansas’ Kevin Pietersen at pick No. 56 and German McCullers Jr. def. Center Ariel Hookporty at No. 58.

How they got to Nos. 34, 56 and 58 — and how they traded away every other pick they acquired in this year’s draft — was one of the more complicated, head-scratching draft-day processes in franchise history.

In short, Nix:

• Entered the 2024 NBA Draft with picks No. 24, 25 and 38.
• Traded to Washington Wizards at No. 24 for picks 26 and 51
• Dadiate selected at pick number 25
• Traded pick No. 26 to the Oklahoma City Thunder for five future second-round selections
• Three future second-round picks were exchanged with the Portland Trail Blazers to select Kolek at pick No. 34.
• Traded pick No. 38 to Thunder for pick No. 40 and cash considerations
• Pick No. 40 traded to Phoenix Suns for pick No. 56
• Traded pick No. 51 to the Dallas Mavericks for an undisclosed package
• McCullers was selected at No. 56, one spot after the Los Angeles Lakers selected Bronny James at No. 55.
• Then ultimately selected Huckporty with the final selection of the draft.

Hookporty may very well be a draft pick and stash, and he did rupture his left Achilles tendon in 2022, but the 22-year-old 6-11 big man is known to have a strong motor.

Kolek’s selection was a steal.

Drawing comparisons to Indiana Pacers guard TJ McConnell, the 23-year-old, 6-1 Kolek is listed as the ninth-best guard on The Ringer’s NBA Draft big board.

In fact, he was projected to go to the Knicks at pick No. 24 before moving up with the selection.

Kolek averaged 15.3 points and 7.7 assists as a 39% three-point shooter his senior year. He is a good spot-up shooter and a crafty finisher at the rim who can play offense and has come up big in clutch moments during his college career.

And he addresses the need for depth at the point guard spot behind Jalen Brunson and Miles McBride. His size will give him a target on defense, but he’s not going to lean on that end of the field.

As for the elephant in the room, Marquette’s senior compliance officer publicly denied reports that Koleck couldn’t read.

“I can tell you that this is unequivocally not true,” Daniel Josetti tweeted on Feb. 28. “This is neither funny, nor fair. Throw stones.”

Kolek also addressed the rumors with his own post showing a heavy six-course load with a 3.984 grade point average after the fall semester in 2023.

“I just learned to read,” she posted on Twitter, preceded by a smiling, X with a crying emoji.

McCullers is a 6-5 energy player known for his hustle and defensive instincts. He averaged 18.3 points, six rebounds and four assists per game with the Jayhawks last season and is a high-end cutter who performs well around the rim. The Ringer listed McCullers at 36th on their big board, meaning the Knicks got good value after 20 picks.

The constant wheeling and dealing was a must for a Knicks team with a payroll well over the $141 million salary cap. After signing OG Anunoby to a five-year, $212.5 million contract, the richest deal in franchise history, the Knicks entered the draft with $170 million in payroll.

The second-round pick could be signed for up to $1.2 million, cap space the Knicks don’t need to spend on players who don’t project to crack the rotation.

Dadiot, who went 25th overall, said he expected to play in the NBA next season and did not expect to spend an additional year overseas honing his game as a draft pick and stash. It remains to be seen whether his plan suits the franchise or not.

Dadiate also said he modeled his game after former Brooklyn Nets superstar Kevin Durant.

The Knicks now have three new players on the end of their roster, and if head coach Tom Thibodeau is anything to go by, the team will have a 13th, 14th and 15th man ready to play in case their number is called in an emergency. Will be.