Pistons, Pacers, Knicks reportedly interested in trade for Kings’ No. 4 pick

We know the No. 4 pick in the upcoming NBA Draft is in play. The “we need to make the playoffs” Kings want to move it for a player who can help them win now.

That No. 4 pick will likely be Jaden Ivey, the wildly athletic point guard out of Purdue, a player some scouts (and maybe GMs) have in the top three on their draft boards. Who is interested? Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN mentioned a few during NBA Countdown before Game 6 Thursday night (hat tip Hoops Rumors)

“That No. 4 pick that the Sacramento Kings hold is very much in play. There are a lot of teams trying to get deals done with Sacramento so they can move up to select Jaden Ivey,” Wojnarowski said. “That’s teams close to them in the lottery who are five and six [the Pistons and Pacers], the New York Knicks at No. 11, Washington Wizards at No. 10, and even some teams outside of the lottery.”

All of those teams make some sense. Ivey next to Cade Cunningham in Detroit is the backcourt of the future (so long as Ivey is comfortable working off ball for stretches). The Pacers are trying to build for the future while not tanking and Ivey with Tyrese Haliburton is a good fit. Both the Knicks and Wizards need a point guard in the worst way.

And it all works because Ivey doesn’t want to be in Sacramento anyway.

The challenge is what teams will send back to the Kings — Sacramento wants to win now and will ask for a high-quality veteran player who can step into that role. Who on the Pistons or Knicks roster fits that mold and is someone they are willing to trade? The Pacers and Wizards have some good options in that mold.

This year’s draft really starts at No. 4.