New York Knicks Officially Announce Trade Involving A Former All-Star

The New York Knicks officially announced their trade with the Detroit Pistons involving former All-Star guard Kemba Walker and the 13th overall pick in this year’s draft, Jalen Duren.

On Wednesday, the New York Knicks officially announced their draft night trade involving Kemba Walker and Jalen Duren, both of which went to the Detroit Pistons.

Knicks Acquire Future First Round Draft Pick pic.twitter.com/T7nvB2Nrgt

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Walker, 32, now finds himself on his third team in as many years, but it does not appear as if he will be on Detroit’s roster for long. 

The former All-Star point guard finalized a contract buyout with the Pistons ahead of the start of free agency, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, and he is allowed to sign with any team in the league now that this trade is official and he will soon officially clear waivers.

While this trade did also include the Charlotte Hornets initially, as they owned the rights to the 13th overall pick in Jalen Duren, this part of the deal was completed with the Knicks on draft night in exchange for a 2023 first-round pick and four future second-round picks from New York.

Duren now finds himself in Detroit, a young team that is quickly building a strong looking youthful core. Already having Cade Cunningham, the first overall pick in 2021, and Saddiq Bey, the Pistons now add both Jaden Ivey, the fifth overall pick this year, and Jalen Duren.

In exchange for Walker and Duren, the Pistons are sending the Milwaukee Bucks’ 2025 first-round pick to the New York Knicks, a first-round pick that was acquired by Detroit via their Jerami Grant trade with the Portland Trail Blazers ahead of the draft.

Also trading both Alec Burks and Nerlens Noel to the Pistons this offseason in a separate deal, the New York Knicks made moves in order to free up the necessary cap space to sign both Jalen Brunson and Isaiah Hartenstein in free agency.

The Knicks finished the 2021-22 season 37-45, missing the playoffs for the eighth time in the last nine seasons.