The 2026 NBA Draft has been one of the most talked-about in years, with a deep class headlined by names like AJ Dybantsa and Darryn Peterson drawing eyes all night. Teams have been moving around the board, trying to land the right piece at the right moment.
The Knicks came into draft night holding the No. 24 pick, their first of three selections. But right before the clock hit their slot, New York made a move that nobody saw coming.
New Update: Per Shams Charania, the Knicks then traded No. 25 and Sergio De Larrea to the Dallas Mavericks for No. 30 Koa Peat and two second-round picks, before flipping Peat to the Phoenix Suns for three second-rounders and cash. New York exited the first round entirely, walking away with five second-round picks and cash.
Knicks Trade Pick 24 to Lakers in 2026 NBA Draft Night Deal
GettyNew York Knicks
According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, reporting live on the broadcast, the Knicks traded No. 24 to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for No. 25 and cash considerations.
It is a one-spot slide down the board, but the Lakers clearly wanted something specific at that pick, and New York was willing to move for the right price.
Los Angeles, who entered draft night building around Luka Doncic, used that pick to select Baylor wing Cameron Carr. The 6-foot-5 guard averaged 18.9 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 2.6 assists at Baylor this past season, shooting nearly 37 percent from three.
He measured a 7-foot wingspan at the combine and put up 30 points in the five-on-five scrimmages, which had teams buzzing. Carr had slid from lottery projections into the mid-20s, and the Lakers grabbed him right there.
Knicks Select Sergio De Larrea at No. 25 in 2026 NBA Draft
With the pick they received from the Lakers, New York selected Spanish guard Sergio de Larrea out of Valencia Basket. The 20-year-old stood out as one of the more polished international prospects in this class, averaging 7.1 points, 2.9 assists, and shooting 40.9 percent from three in the Spanish ACB this past season. At 6-foot-7 with a 6-foot-9 wingspan, he has the size to play either guard spot in the NBA.
De Larrea is not going to come in and light the league up right away. His game is built on feel, IQ, and making the right play, not on athleticism. Scouts compare him to a Josh Giddey or Austin Reaves type, a tall guard who keeps an offense moving and hits open shots.
For a Knicks team that just won a title around Jalen Brunson, adding a smart, big guard who can grow into a rotation piece is exactly the kind of low-risk, high-upside swing worth taking.
The Knicks gave up one spot, got cash back, and still landed their guy. Not a bad few minutes of work.
Knicks Pull Off Unexpected Trade Just Before Their Pick at the 2026 NBA Draft