Courtesy: Lakers
Lakers, Knicks, Mavericks and Suns finalize a wild 4-team NBA Draft trade
The 2026 NBA Draft produced plenty of drama on Tuesday night. However, some of the most interesting moves took a little longer to become official. On Wednesday, a 4-team trade involving the Los Angeles Lakers, New York Knicks, Dallas Mavericks and Phoenix Suns was formally completed, putting the final pieces of a complex draft-night deal into place.
The trade centered around 3 picks: No. 24, No. 25 and No. 30. Each team walked away with something different. Here is how the deal broke down.
How each team made out
The Lakers were the team moving up. Originally holding the 25th pick, Los Angeles acquired the Knicks’ 24th selection and used it to take Cameron Carr out of Baylor. Moving up just one spot gave the Lakers the specific player they wanted without giving up significant capital to get there.
The Knicks were the team doing the most maneuvering. New York initially appeared to select Spanish guard Sergio De Larrea at No. 25. However, they did not stop there. The Knicks traded twice more from that position, ultimately collecting multiple second-round picks in the process. It was a classic New York front office move, turning a single pick into future assets.
De Larrea ended up with the Dallas Mavericks. The Spanish guard may spend one more season playing in Europe before making his NBA debut. Nevertheless, scouts believe he will develop into a reliable shooter at the next level. For Dallas, acquiring him at this stage of the draft represents solid value with long-term upside.
The Phoenix Suns landed at No. 30, where they selected Koa Peat out of Arizona. Peat generated significant buzz throughout the pre-draft process, though concerns about his shooting performance at the combine caused his stock to slide. Ultimately, the Suns grabbed him later than many expected, potentially landing one of the better values of the entire draft.
Why tracking draft-night trades gets complicated
One quirk of NBA Draft night is worth noting for anyone following along at home. Players wear the hats of the teams that originally held the pick, not necessarily the teams they end up with after trades are finalized. That creates confusion in real time as cameras capture players celebrating in the wrong gear.
Eventually, everything sorts itself out. In this case, the final destination for each player is clear. Carr heads to the Lakers, De Larrea joins the Mavericks, Peat lands in Phoenix and the Knicks bank multiple second-round picks for future use.
What it means for each franchise
For the Lakers, adding Carr gives the roster a young piece with room to develop alongside their existing core. Moving up one spot to secure him specifically suggests the front office had strong conviction about his fit and potential.
For the Mavericks, De Larrea is a low-risk, high-upside addition. If he spends another year sharpening his game in Europe, Dallas could be getting a more polished player when he eventually arrives stateside.
For the Suns, landing Peat at No. 30 looks like a potential steal. Multiple analysts had projected him to go well before that point. If the shooting concerns that caused him to slide prove correctable, Phoenix may have found real value at the back end of the first round.
For the Knicks, accumulating second-round picks continues a front office philosophy built around maintaining flexibility and keeping options open for future moves.
Source: The Sporting News / Yahoo Sports
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