Knicks Rumors: NY Believed to Be Open to Trading Up from No. 11 in 2022 NBA Draft

The New York Knicks may not be satisfied with waiting until the No. 11 pick to make their first selection of the 2022 NBA draft.

"A few people in touch with the team last month came away with the impression that New York was open to moving up in this draft, trading up for a higher pick in the draft," Ian Begley of SNY reported. "And I'm sure that the Knicks will continue to look into all scenarios."

New York will be one of the most intriguing teams to watch this offseason.

After all, the storied franchise in a major market has been anything but successful on the court of late with just one playoff appearance since the 2012-13 campaign. Expectations were high entering the 2021-22 season since that one postseason appearance came in 2020-21, but the Knicks floundered on their way to a 37-45 record.

The front office made the decision to not fire head coach Tom Thibodeau, so the improvements will need to come on the player personnel side.

Trading up in the draft is one way to help ensure that happens, although Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman projected the Knicks to take Ohio State's Malaki Branham with the No. 11 pick in his latest mock draft.

Branham was someone who took significant strides during his only season with the Buckeyes, and he was recognized as the Big Ten Rookie of the Year and a third team All-Conference selection. He can score at all levels and could take advantage of the spacing created by the defensive attention Julius Randle and RJ Barrett draw.

However, New York may believe some of the players projected to go ahead of Branham would be worth trading up for and adding to its young core. That could send reverberations throughout the rest of the first round as teams scramble to react to such a move in the top 10 of the draft.

The possibility is reportedly at least on the table as the Knicks look for ways to improve their club this offseason.