Trail Blazers Use Knicks' 1st Round Pick On Kris Murray

The New York Knicks' pick, the 23rd overall choice, was sent to the Pacific Northwest in the trade for Josh Hart.

With the 23rd pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, the Portland Trail Blazers selected Iowa power forward Kris Murray. The selection originally belonged to the New York Knicks and was sent to the Pacific Northwest at the trade deadline in the deal that brought Josh Hart to Manhattan.

Fresh off All-American and All-Big Ten honors in Iowa City, Murray now joins his twin brother and current Sacramento King Keegan in the Association after he enter a year early. Kris was on the Naismith and Wooden Award watchlists throughout this past collegiate season, posting 20.2 points and 7.9 rebounds in his junior season before entering the draft early. He was originally poised to join Keegan during the 2022 draft but went back to the Hawkeyes after he declined an invitation to the Draft Combine.

23. Kris Murray - Portland Trail Blazers - Iowa

20.2 PTS, 7.9 REB, 2.0 AST, 1.0 STL, 1.2 BLK
47.6 FG%, 33.5 3PT%, 72.9 FT% pic.twitter.com/GhjRDTYidz

— Aram Cannuscio (@AC__Hoops) June 23, 2023

Sacramento, ironically, had the 24th overall pick but agreed to trade it to the Dallas Mavericks.

Kris Murray was Portland's second selection of the night, as they originally took point guard Scoot Henderson with the third overall choice. The newly-minted Portland pair is part of the Blazers' attempt to potentially build another competing group for Damian Lillard. 

Using a 6-foot-8, 225-lb. frame to maximize his aggressiveness, Murray should help Portland improve upon its issues in advanced rebounding statistics, respectively ranking 24th and 25th respectively in offensive and defensive rebounding percentage last season). The Blazers finished 33-49 last season, missing the playoffs for the second consecutive year.

There is not 22 players better than Kris Murray in this draft pic.twitter.com/zeLGtGBC2K

— Keegan’s Burner (@KeegansBurner) June 23, 2023

Even though the Knicks could've benefitted from the arrival of Murray or another prospect in the 23rd slot, they likely found it a small price to pay in the name of landing the services of Hart. The former Blazer proved to be a valuable contributor off the bench, as his efforts helped the Knicks not only secure the fifth seed on the Eastern Conference playoff bracket but also their first postseason series win in a decade. Hart is slated to his free agency after announcing his plans to decline his $12.9 million player option but has often spoken highly about his metropolitan experience, hinting at his interest in extending his stay. 

The Knicks still don't have any picks as the first round reaches its latter stages. Their other scheduled pick, the 53rd overall choice, currently belongs to Minnesota.

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Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags

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