Jun 23, 2022; Brooklyn, NY, USA; A general view after the first round of the 2022 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Knicks fans react to New York’s bizarre first-round moves in 2022 NBA Draft
You’re always supposed to expect the unexpected from the New York Knicks, right? Right. But nobody saw this coming. And to be honest, it’s impossible to define what happened in the first round of the 2022 NBA Draft.
The Knicks didn’t trade up into the top five for Jaden Ivey, who went No. 5 to the Detroit Pistons. At least there was still hope with the No. 11 pick. Oh, but New York traded Ousmane Dieng, the No. 11 pick, to the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The Knicks acquired Jalen Duren, the No. 13 pick, from the Charlotte Hornets, but the draft rights to Duren were traded to the Pistons. If you’re keeping trying to keep track, that means that Detroit finished the first round with both Ivey and Duren.
And who did New York end up with? No one. But the Knicks did lose one player, Kemba Walker, who was traded to the Pistons. According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Walker and Detroit are expected to agree to a buyout so that the point guard can enter free agency.
There’s a lot that happened on Thursday night and the reason why it all happened is unclear, but it seems as if the Knicks are clearing cap space in preparation for free agency. Here’s the most simplified version of what went down.
Knicks fans take to Twitter to react to 2022 NBA Draft confusion
The only thing that there is to do now is to laugh at the pain and hope that somehow, someway all of this will work itself out. Let’s take a look at some of our favorite tweets of the night.
Too soon? Maybe.
You know, we’ve all been in search of a word to sum up what happened on draft night and ‘SHMECKLEDORFED’ just might be it.
You’re not alone, Mero.
We’re about to go full Shrek!
You know what? This is going to be exactly what happens.
We’re in pain.
Oh, that’s us! Ah, what a night.
Well, anyways, welcome to New York, Trevor Keels! At least the Knicks walked away from the draft with that victory.
