Knicks To Make Two First-Round Draft Picks

2006 NBA Draft: On Wednesday, June 28, the 2006 NBA Draft will take place at The Theater at Madison Square Garden… This year’s draft marks the second consecutive year the Knicks will have multiple first-round picks and the third time since 1996… New York will select at No. 20 and No. 29, both obtained via trades.

New York acquired the 20th pick, along with Jalen Rose, from the Toronto Raptors in exchange for Antonio Davis and cash considerations on Jan. 27, 2006…New York acquired the 29th pick from San Antonio, receiving forward Malik Rose and the Spurs’ 2005 and 2006 first-round draft picks, in exchange for center Nazr Mohammed and guard Jamison Brewer on Feb. 24, 2005…On Oct. 4, 2005, the Knicks acquired 23-year-old center Eddy Curry from the Bulls in exchange for their own 2006 first-round pick.

Isiah At The Draft: Knicks President of Basketball Operations and Head Coach Isiah Thomas has had his share of success at the NBA Draft…Thomas once again proved his draft acumen last year by selecting NBA All-Rookie First Team selection Channing Frye with the No. 8 pick and David Lee, who set a Knicks rookie record in field-goal percentage (.596), with the 30th pick in the 2005 NBA Draft…Thomas also selected Nate Robinson, who was picked at No. 22 after a draft-day trade with the Phoenix Suns…Amongst NBA rookies, Robinson finished eighth in scoring (9.3), ninth in assists (2.0), fifth in steals (0.82) and second in three-point shooting (.397)…In 2004, he tabbed UCLA forward Trevor Ariza in the second round (43rd overall)…Thomas was also involved in three drafts at Toronto as the Raptors Part Owner and Executive Vice President from 1995 through 1997…In 1995, he selected the eventual NBA Rookie of Year Damon Stoudamire with the No. 7 pick, Marcus Camby with the second overall pick in 1996; in 1997, he selected Tracy McGrady at No. 9 and in 1998, he drafted Antawn Jamison with the No. 4 pick and then traded him to Golden State for UNC teammate Vince Carter and cash considerations...As head coach of the Indiana Pacers from 2000 through 2003, Thomas led the way in developing young players like Jermaine O’Neal, Ron Artest, Brad Miller and Al Harrington into current NBA stars.

The Last Decade: Looking back over the last 10 NBA Drafts, you would find quality picks from the Nos. 20 and 29 …The list of names include some solid NBA pros that have had lasting careers…The following is a look at the NBA Draft from 1996 through 2005 from the two spots the Knicks hold in 2006:

The Youth Movement: The average age of the final roster at the end of the 2005-06 season was just 26.2 years…It was the youngest squad since 1988-89 (25.4) and ranked them as the 12th youngest team in the league this season…New York had five players who were 23 or younger (Jackie Butler, Eddy Curry, Channing Frye, David Lee and Nate Robinson) who accounted for 39-percent of the team’s points and 43-percent of the team’s rebounds…Jackie Butler, who saw significant time on the floor this past season, posting averages of 5.3 points and 3.3 rebounds, holds the distinction of being one of the youngest players in team history…Butler surpassed Carl Braun, who was 20 years, one month and 19 days old when he made his NBA debut on Nov. 13, 1947…The following is a look at the team’s youngest players over the past 55 years:

Youngest Players

(Since 1951-52 season)

Draft History: The Knicks have two first-round selections and no second-round pick in the 2006 NBA Draft…This draft marks the second consecutive year New York has had multiple first-round picks and the third time since 1996...The following is a look at the results of New York’s last 10 NBA Drafts…A full history can be found in the 2005-06 New York Knicks Media Guide on pages 200 & 201.

How The Knicks Were Built: Since Isiah Thomas was named President of Basketball Operations of the Knicks on Dec. 22, 2003, the Knicks have made numerous transactions to give the team its current look…Signings, draft picks and trades have helped the team immediately and for the future…Along with two first-round draft selections in 2006, over the next five years, the Knicks own four of their own picks in the first round and three in the second…The following is a look at how the current team was built: