Knicks Acquire Luka Mitrovic Draft Rights: What This Really Means for NY

Wait, who? If you saw the news that the Knicks acquire Luka Mitrovic draft rights, you probably had to do a double-take. No, it’s not that Luka. We aren't talking about the Mavericks' superstar or some blockbuster trade that shifts the entire hierarchy of the Eastern Conference.

Instead, this is one of those classic "NBA deep lore" moves. It’s the kind of transaction that happens in the middle of the second round of the draft when most fans are already looking up highlights of the kid their team just picked. It’s weird, it’s technical, and honestly, it’s kinda fascinating how the NBA salary cap forces teams to play these games with "ghost" players.

The Trade Breakdown: Moving Back to Move Forward

Let’s get the actual logistics out of the way first. During the 2025 NBA Draft, the New York Knicks were sitting at the 50th pick. The Los Angeles Clippers wanted that spot. They had their eyes on Kobe Sanders, a 6’7” guard out of Nevada who’s got a really smooth mid-range game.

To make it happen, the Clippers and Knicks essentially swapped spots. New York moved back one tiny inch to the 51st pick (where they took French forward Mohamed Diawara). But in the NBA, you can't just "swap" for nothing in certain scenarios; you need to include assets to satisfy the league office and the collective bargaining agreement.

Enter Luka Mitrovic.

The Clippers tossed his draft rights into the deal as a sweetener. Or, more accurately, as a legal placeholder. In return for moving down one spot and handing the Clippers the guy they wanted, Leon Rose and the Knicks front office added another name to their "Draft Rights Retained" list.

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Who is Luka Mitrovic?

If you’re a die-hard EuroLeague fan, you actually know exactly who this is. Mitrovic isn't some mystery prospect; he’s a seasoned veteran. He was originally the 60th and final pick of the 2015 NBA Draft—the "Mr. Irrelevant" of the Kristaps Porzingis draft.

The Philadelphia 76ers drafted him. Then they traded his rights to the Sacramento Kings just weeks later. From there, his rights gathered dust for years until the Clippers snagged them in 2023 as part of the Filip Petrusev trade. Now, nearly a decade after he was first drafted, he’s officially a (technical) member of the New York Knicks.

• Age: 32 (Born March 21, 1993)
• Height: 6'9"
• Current Team: CSKA Moscow (VTB United League)
• Pedigree: Multi-time ABA League and Serbian League champion

He’s a smart, passing big man who has spent the bulk of his career as a legend for Crvena Zvezda (Red Star Belgrade). He’s been the captain there, won a mountain of trophies, and is widely respected as one of the most "high-IQ" players in European basketball.

Why Do the Knicks Want These Rights?

You might be wondering if we’ll ever see Luka Mitrovic in a Knicks jersey at Madison Square Garden.

Short answer: No.

Long answer: Almost certainly not.

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Mitrovic is 32 years old. He recently signed with CSKA Moscow for the remainder of the 2025-26 season. He’s carved out a fantastic, lucrative career in Europe. Coming to the NBA now to fight for a 12th-man spot on a veteran minimum contract makes zero sense for him.

But for the Knicks, his draft rights are a tradable asset.

The NBA is a weird place where the "idea" of a player is sometimes more valuable than the player himself. Because the Knicks own his rights, they can include him in future trades to balance out the number of players being moved.

Remember the Karl-Anthony Towns trade? The Knicks used the draft rights to several retired or overseas players to make that math work. It’s basically like having a $0 gift card that you can use to facilitate a million-dollar real estate deal. It sounds fake, but it’s how Leon Rose operates. He’s a hoarder of "marginalia"—the small things that don't matter until they suddenly do.

The Leon Rose Strategy: Collecting Human Draft Picks

Under Leon Rose, the Knicks have turned "draft rights" into a secondary currency. They already hold the rights to guys like Rokas Jokubaitis and Sergio Llull (who, let's be honest, is never leaving Real Madrid).

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By adding Mitrovic, they have another chip on the board.

Think of it like this: If the Knicks want to trade for a disgruntled star in 2026, they might need to send out three players and only take back one. To make the trade "legal" under certain CBA rules, the other team might need to receive "assets" in return. Sending the rights to a 32-year-old Serbian big man fulfills that requirement without the Knicks actually having to give up a rotation player or a valuable first-round pick.

Actionable Insights for Knicks Fans

So, what should you actually do with this information?

1. Don't buy a jersey. Seriously. There is a 99.9% chance Luka Mitrovic never steps foot in the MSG locker room as a player.
2. Watch the trade deadline. If you see the Knicks involved in a complicated three-team deal, keep an eye on the "minor details" section. You'll likely see Mitrovic’s name pop up as being sent to a team like the Jazz or the Hornets just to make the salaries or roster spots align.
3. Appreciate the scouting. While Mitrovic won't play here, the guy they did get in that swap—Mohamed Diawara—is a legitimate prospect. The Mitrovic "throw-in" was just the paperwork required to facilitate getting a 20-year-old French wing into the system.

Essentially, when the Knicks acquire Luka Mitrovic draft rights, they aren't looking for a new backup center. They’re looking for a legal loophole. It’s a boring, front-office move that only matters to cap-sheet nerds, but those are the moves that eventually allow for the big, flashy trades that actually win games.

For now, Luka Mitrovic remains a star in Moscow, and a name on a spreadsheet in Manhattan.

Keep an eye on the Knicks' "Draft Rights Retained" list over the next few months; it’s usually the first place the front office looks when they need to "grease the wheels" on a major transaction. If you're following the team's salary cap health, these rights are essentially "dead money" that can be revived for trade purposes at any moment.