Don't think we are buying a pick in the first round - it cost NY 3M to buy the 29th pick. We might trade for a higher 2nd round pick if someone we like falls like we did with Bill Walker - maybe with cash or future 2nd rounder.
The reason late 1st rounders should be available is money-conscious teams prefer early 2nd rounders to them. 3 million is a lot, but the Knicks will pay anything and the Lakers probably knew that, and maybe the going rate will be way lower as draft time approaches? Another reason I'm guessing it would be a late 1st is that it'd have to be a quote-unquote "lotto talent" Ainge would be "shocked to see available that late" to supplant Walker/Giddens/Pruitt, and I don't think that kind of talent would slip to the 2nd in this draft.
