Knicks trade No. 21 pick Keon Johnson to Clippers for No. 25 pick Quentin Grimes
Quentin Grimes out of Houston is heading to New York.
(AP) — The New York Knicks ended up with guard Quentin Grimes with the No. 25 pick in the NBA draft after dealing two picks that were higher.
The swap of their No. 21 pick for No. 25 left them with Grimes, a third-team All-American from Houston who came with a pick that belonged to the Los Angeles Clippers.
The Knicks also acquired a future second-round pick in that deal, with the Clippers getting the draft rights to forward Keon Johnson.
Knicks Acquire Draft Rights to Quentin Grimes pic.twitter.com/mn7PTh4kPq
— NY_KnicksPR (@NY_KnicksPR) July 30, 2021
Grimes was the player of the year in the America Athletic Conference after averaging 17.8 points. He shot 40.2% from 3-point range to lead the conference, making 3.3 3-pointers per game.
“NEW YORK WHAT’S GOOD !” Grimes wrote on Twitter.
NEW YORK WHAT’S GOOD !
— Quentin Grimes (@qdotgrimes) July 30, 2021
The Knicks hope he will be.
They had a surprisingly successful first season under Coach of the Year Tom Thibodeau, earning the No. 4 seed in the Eastern Conference for their first postseason berth since 2013.
But their five-game loss to Atlanta showed a need for more offensive help around All-Star Julius Randle, and perhaps Grimes can provide some.
He began his career with one season at Kansas before transferring to Houston for his final two. He led the Cougars to a 28-4 record last season and their first Final Four berth since 1984.
The Knicks also acquired a future first-round pick by sending the No. 19 pick to Charlotte. That pick was used on Texas center Kai Jones.
The trades indicate the Knicks may have been saving money to maximize their chances in the upcoming free agency period, when they are in position to afford two top players.
The Knicks later acquired the draft rights to Miles McBride and Rokas Jokubaitis from the Oklahoma City Thunder for the rights to Jeremiah Robinson-Earl.
McBride, taken with the No. 36 pick from West Virginia, is a strong defensive guard who also led the Big 12 last season with two 30-point games. He was in the league’s top five in scoring, assists and steals as a sophomore.
Jokubaitis, taken two picks earlier, plays in Lithuania.
They ended their draft by taking Texas center Jericho Sims with the No. 58 pick. The 6-foot-10 Sims helped the Longhorns win their first Big 12 tournament title with 21 points and 14 rebounds against No. 1 pick Cade Cunningham and Oklahoma State.
