The Atlanta Hawks threw their hooks in the water, but the New York Knicks didn’t bite.
According to ESPN’s Jonathan Givony, citing a source, the Knicks declined a recent trade offer from the Hawks in which New York would have sent the No. 3 overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft to Atlanta in exchange for the No. 8 and No. 10 selections.
The Hawks have been aggressively exploring trade scenarios in which they package the No. 8 and No. 10 picks to move up in Thursday’s draft, per Givony, but the Knicks reportedly weren’t interested in moving down to acquire Atlanta’s selections.
The focus now shifts to the New Orleans Pelicans, who reportedly acquired the No. 4 pick from the Los Angeles Lakers in the Anthony Davis blockbuster. A source told Givony the Pelicans are considering the possibility of trading that pick to the Hawks for Nos. 8 and 10, but ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski indicated Tuesday New Orleans is “big-game hunting” in an attempt to flip the selection for a young, established All-Star.
The Pelicans also own the No. 1 pick, which they’re expected to use on Duke phenom Zion Williamson. Murray State’s Ja Morant and Duke’s RJ Barrett are projected to go No. 2 and No. 3 to the Memphis Grizzlies and Knicks, respectively, although Givony reports New York plans to hold a workout Wednesday for Vanderbilt guard Darius Garland.
