The Knicks finished a disappointing draft with six more second-round picks and a European project.
Pacôme Dadier, a 6-foot-8 forward from France who played professionally in Germany last season, was the only player selected at No. 25.
He’s just 18 and would make sense as a draft-and-stash pick, but he said Wednesday he plans to jump straight into the NBA.
“I plan on playing here,” Dadiette said.
If he continues to play overseas next season, Dadiet won’t be on the Knicks’ payroll — which could help New York avoid a steep tax hit on next season’s salary surge — but Dadiet clearly thinks he’s ready to join the Knicks after a strong pre-draft workout.
Team president Leon Rose did not speak to the media before or after the draft.
“The training went well,” Dadiette said, “so I knew they were interested, but I didn’t know where it was going to go until the last moment. I’m really excited to start training. I can’t wait.”
The Barclays Center crowd was not impressed with Dadiette’s choice, responding with lukewarm applause and a few boos.
The last time the Knicks took a gamble on a young French player was with Frank Ntilikina in 2017, but it didn’t work out.
But there will be less pressure on Dadeet to perform, especially not anytime soon.
Coach Tom Thibodeau has historically been reluctant to use rookies, so it’s hard to imagine an 18-year-old fitting into a rotation that prioritizes winning.
The upside for Dudiet is that he can play as a defensive winger with a strong shot.
He called Kevin Durant his first inspiration in the NBA.
“I think I’m really versatile and I can provide the energy that a rookie needs,” Dadiette said. “Getting rebounds, pushing the ball out, making shots. I think that’s really important for a rookie to provide.”
The Knicks were thought to be linked to more ready-to-play prospects, particularly University of Virginia wing Ryan Dunn, but Dunn fell to the Nuggets at No. 28.
The Knicks entered the night with the 24th and 25th picks.
They first traded down from No. 24 to No. 26 while acquiring a second-round pick (No. 51) from the Wizards.
The team then traded the No. 26 pick to Oklahoma City in exchange for five second-round picks between 2025 and 2027, according to reports.
The Knicks currently hold the 38th and 51st picks in Thursday’s second round in Manhattan.
The Knicks started off with consecutive picks because one of them, the 24th pick, was given to them by Dallas as the final payment in the 2019 Kristaps Porzingis trade.
It’s rare for the Knicks to use their own draft picks, and that will likely continue in the future.
As part of the pending Mikal Bridges deal, the team gave up first-round draft picks in 2025, 2027, 2028, 2029 and 2031.
Finding talented players late in the draft is something Leon Rose and assistant general manager Walt Perrin have excelled at during their four-year tenure.
They selected Immanuel Quickley and Quentin Grimes with the 25th pick.
They also picked up Miles McBride in the second round.
The disappointing choices were Obi Toppin (8th overall) and Trevor Keels (42nd).
The Knicks traded Quickley, Grimes and RJ Barrett last season, meaning they didn’t have any first-round draft picks on their playoff roster.
It was a bit of a surprise when the Knicks didn’t target a center on Wednesday.
That position is a bit fluid.
Isaiah Hartenstein, who started most of last season, will soon be an unrestricted free agent and the Knicks will have a hard time retaining him given their cap restrictions.
Mitchell Robinson is the obvious replacement, but he has had two ankle surgeries and has never averaged more than 27.5 minutes in a season.
The Knicks may try to address that issue by acquiring two second-round picks on Thursday.
Pacomeda Diet Bio Box
position: wing
height, weight: 6-8, 218
Last team: Ratiopharm Ulm (Germany)
Year: 18
One of the best young prospects and a total project with no plans to return overseas as a draft-and-stash pick, scouting reports cited skilled shooting with great size and 3&D potential.
But with the Knicks looking to win now, Duddiette probably won’t be ready to contribute as a rookie.
School year: C
