Keita Bates-Diop will be in the Big Apple to begin his seventh NBA season.
The former Ohio State forward was dealt from the Brooklyn Nets to the New York Knicks along with star wing Mikal Bridges and a second-round pick. In return, the Nets get Bojan Bogadanovic, Mamadi Diakite, Shake Milton, four unprotected first-round picks, an unprotected pick swap, a top-four protected first-round pick and a second-round pick.
Sources: The Knicks are signing-and-trading Shake Milton as part of Mikal Bridges/Bojan Bogdanovic trade to the Nets, who will also send Keita Bates-Diop to New York. Milton will sign a three-year, $9 million contract, with over minimum in year one and two non-guaranteed years.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 4, 2024
Although the Knicks will be Bates-Diop's sixth team since he was selected in the second round of the 2018 NBA draft, the 28-year-old has proven to be a solid backup forward throughout his career. Bates-Diop has averaged six points and three rebounds per game while shooting 47.4% from the floor and 33.3% from beyond the arc through six seasons.
His 2023-24 season came to an abrupt end when he suffered a stress fracture in his shin on March 23, one that required season-ending surgery. While he averaged just 1.6 points in 4.9 minutes per game after getting dealt to the Phoenix Suns midway through last campaign, the 6-foot-8 forward's best season came in 2022-23, his last with the San Antonio Spurs. Bates-Diop averaged a career-high 9.7 points, accompanied by 3.7 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game. He shot 39.4% from beyond the arc that year.
Bates-Diop recently exercised his $2,654,644 player option for 2024-25 and will become an unrestricted free agent following next season.
He played four seasons at Ohio State, averaging 11.7 points, 5.7 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game. His breakout campaign came in 2017-18, when Bates-Diop averaged 19.8 points, 8.7 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game, earning Big Ten Player of the Year and consensus second-team All-American honors.
