Knicks owner James Dolan never spent $1.5 million so quietly.
It was past midnight, after Phil Jackson had made his first two draft picks as team president last June 26, having already taken Cleanthony Early at No. 34 and Thanasis Antetokounmpo at 51.
Suddenly came the announcement the Pacers had traded their only pick of the draft — at 57 — to the Knicks for cash considerations. The Knicks selected 6-foot-10 Louis Labeyrie of France.
Who? What? Where?
There’s still some shred of mystery about this French “stash’’ pick, but it is San Antonio-esque — a tactic coach Gregg Popovich and general manager R.C. Buford have pulled off with championship success for the Spurs, who visit the Garden Tuesday night.
Jackson has yet to comment publicly on Labeyrie, but The Post has learned the sum of the transaction, according to an NBA source, was $1.5 million.
The Knicks will only say they hope to see Labeyrie play for their summer-league team in Las Vegas in July. His agent, Bouna Ndiaye, told The Post Monday night: “It’s 100 percent definite he will.’’
The $1.5 million would seem a high sum for the 57th pick. However, not when you consider that in 2009, the Knicks gave Jackson’s Lakers $3 million to acquire Toney Douglas — who was due a three-year guaranteed contract — with the last pick in the first round.
The 23-year-old Labeyrie has spent this season playing off the bench for Paris Levallois of the French League.
During their stop in Utah on the Knicks’ recent trip, young 7-foot-2 Frenchman shotblocking center Rudy Gobert, who is emerging as a stud, spoke glowingly and excitedly about Labeyrie in a quick interview with The Post.

Rudy Gobert
Photo: NBAE via Getty Images
Gobert shares the same agent as Labeyrie, and the two played together on the French 20-and-under national team.
“He wants to play in the NBA and I know he can, I don’t know if it can be next season, but maybe, yeah,’’ Gobert said. “I haven’t talked to him about it yet. He’s more of a power forward than center, though. He’s not a center.
“He’s athletic and can drive and can shoot. I think he’d like to be in New York. I was happy for him.’’
The Knicks have been very low-key about Labeyrie, perhaps because they didn’t want to bring up the obvious French connection. In arguably the worst draft selection in Knicks history, former GM Ed Tapscott selected 7-2 center Frederic Weis over Ron Artest at No. 15 in 1999. Weis never played a game in the NBA, and retired in 2011.
Ndiaye says Knicks European scout Kevin Wilson has followed his client for three years.
“He’s a combo of size, athleticism and energy with a very nice outside shot,’’ said Ndiaye, who also represents Portland French star Nicolas Batum. “They must think he’s good fit for the system, which is for combos. He’s a combo 3-4.”
Labeyrie recently signed a one-year extension, as his three-year deal with his French League team was to expire in July. The Knicks would have to buy out the final year if they want him next season.
“He’ll get a chance to expose his talent against NBA players and then we’ll see,’’ Ndiaye said.
Ndiaye said veteran foreign players in the French League get the bulk of playing time. As such, Labeyrie is only averaging 16.2 minutes, 5.4 points and 3.4 rebounds on 50 percent shooting through 41 games.
Still, the Knicks want to see him in Vegas and go from there.
In a span of 10 minutes last June, Jackson thought of the future, of two “stash players’’ in Labeyrie and Antetokounmpo, whom the Zen Master originally envisioned playing in Europe before he convinced Antetokounmpo to take much less money to play for the new D-League franchise in Westchester to learn the triangle.
The draft theory certainly has worked in San Antonio.

A forgotten asset as it wasn't expected to see him when picked, now it seems like we might see him. This report was from months ago, but it seems like his agent is set on showcasing him this summer. Could still be stashed in Europe for another year until his contract is up, but if he surprises, who knows?

This is intriguing.