Knicks Rumors: 'Multiple' 1sts Offered for Kings' No. 4 Draft Pick; Jaden Ivey Linked

The New York Knicks might be prepared to match the "significant price" it would take to acquire the No. 4 overall pick in the 2022 NBA draft from the Sacramento Kings, according to SNY's Ian Begley.

"People in touch with Sacramento say that in the club's conversations with New York, the Knicks have talked about offering multiple first-round picks in a package for the No. 4 pick," Begley reported Tuesday. "I don't know which players were offered, but it wasn't enough to lock a deal in."

Begley cited Purdue's Jaden Ivey as one target for the Knicks if they do trade up.

Ivey averaged 17.3 points, 4.9 rebounds and 3.1 assists as a sophomore with the Boilermakers. He also shot 46.0 percent from the field and 35.8 percent from beyond the arc.

In his post-combine big board, Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman ranked the 6'4" guard as the No. 4 overall prospect in this year's draft class:

"Ivey going in the top three seems like a long shot, but there was some buzz in Chicago about scouts and teams who have him as high as No. 2. There is no topping his explosiveness off the dribble, and over the past year, his improved handles and vision have helped him maximize the effectiveness of that burst. Ivey's development as a shooter and decision-maker will ultimately determine how valuable of an NBA guard he becomes. He made some nice strides with his jump shot, though a cold final two months from three does raise questions after he struggled from deep as a freshman."

With Ivey and RJ Barrett, the Knicks would have a dynamic pair of young stars who can either lead the franchise forward themselves or help New York fare better in free agency than it has in recent years.

Regardless of whether Ivey was the pick, if the Knicks trade multiple first-round picks, it could carry major implications, most notably toward Kyrie Irving's potential free agency.

The Athletic's Shams Charania reported Monday that Irving and the Brooklyn Nets are at an impasse in contract negotiations. The seven-time All-Star can become an unrestricted free agent if he declines his $36.9 million player option for the 2022-23 season. Charania mentioned the Knicks as a possible landing spot if Irving leaves Brooklyn.

Executing a sign-and-trade for the 30-year-old might be more difficult for the Knicks without a full arsenal of draft capital. Selecting Ivey would seemingly take them out of the Irving market as well since those moves would point to two different areas of focus from the front office.