Headline: Knicks Acquire NBA Rights to Veteran Luka Mitrovic in Strategic Trade with Clippers

Competing in the NBA is deemed highly improbable, especially considering that it has been a decade since Luka Mitrovic was picked last in the 2015 NBA draft. Now 32 years old, Mitrovic’s NBA rights were involved in a recent trade.

On Thursday at Barclays Center, the Los Angeles Clippers aimed to acquire 23-year-old Kobe Sanders. To facilitate this move, they traded the 51st pick in the upcoming 2025 NBA Draft, as well as Mitrovic’s rights, to the New York Knicks in exchange for the 50th pick to select the former NCAA player from Nevada and Cal Poly. Consequently, the Knicks chose 20-year-old French forward Mohamed Diawara.

In 2015, while playing for Crvena Zvezda, Mitrovic was selected by the Philadelphia 76ers with the 60th pick overall. Shortly thereafter, his rights were dealt to the Sacramento Kings, and eventually transferred to the Clippers in 2023. He now joins a roster of other NBA rights held by the Knicks, alongside prominent EuroLeague talents including Spanish star Sergio Llull from Real Madrid and Lithuanian player Rokas Jokubaitis from Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv.

Mitrovic has spent a significant portion of his career overseas, playing for clubs such as Brose Bamberg, UCAM Murcia, Baxi Manresa, Hapoel Jerusalem, and Buducnost VOLI, before rejoining Zvezda in 2021. He boasts an extensive record of 197 EuroLeague games and has celebrated multiple domestic league championships. After contributing to all junior national teams of Serbia from 2009 to 2013, his senior national team appearances have been limited to the Qualifiers for the FIBA World Cup 2023 and EuroBasket 2025.

Image Credit: EuroleagueBasketball.net

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