A Look At Potential Draft Picks For The New York Knicks
As a Knicks fan I’ve been asked by other Knicks fans ‘who do I want the Knicks to take in the 2018 NBA Draft.’ Well now we know the Knicks have the No. 9 pick and can sort of map out who will be going in front of them based on team needs. Clem’s non-reaction to the Knicks envelope during last night’s Lottery Electric Chair sums up how confident Knicks fans were that their team would move up.
Now, just a little bit of history because we’re Knicks fans and need to know that sort of stuff, the Knicks picked No. 9 in 2003. Who did they pick that year?
Shit. That didn’t work out.
Okay, focus on 2018, Bobby. No more Michael Sweetney talk. No more looking at the 2003 Draft wondering why they just didn’t take David West. No more wondering why they didn’t tank during the 2002-03 season to get LeBron, Melo, Wade or Bosh. Nope. We’re looking forward now. Not looking at every close call in Knicks draft history.
*2 hours later*
Okay, the 2018 Draft! No. 9 pick. What does that mean?
That means the likes of Deandre Ayton, Marvin Bagley, Luka Doncic and Mo Bamba will be off the board. I believe Jaren Jackson should and will be off the board as well, which leaves us with a crop of guys like Trae Young, Miles Bridges, Mikal Bridges, Wendell Carter Jr., Collin Sexton and Kevin Knox. We’re going to leave Michael Porter Jr., off the board here as well because we have 0 clue what’s going on with him health wise and what the NBA doctors will see this offseason. So with that in mind, we’ll take a look at the breakdown for that crop of guys the Knicks will have to choose from and what order I’d have them in in terms of fit, talent, upside, etc. That will be at the end though and the breakdowns will be in no specific order.
Collin Sexton (Freshman, Point, Alabama) – A situation here where you can draft a lead guard and move Frankie to the off ball position. Sexton came in rated higher than Young and while he hasn’t had this ridiculous season like Young has had, Sexton has been pretty damn good at Alabama. What should get Knicks fans excited about taking Sexton is 1) his aggressiveness and passion during the game and 2) the defensive backcourt of him and Frankie could be great down the road. The key here is Sexton is a shot creator, something that Frankie is not. That’s why you need to slide him off the ball at some point in the near future. Sexton is someone who plays downhill, looking to take guys off the dribble, but is also strong with his shot off the dribble. It would give the Knicks another option on the offensive side of the ball. You’d like him to be more consistent with his shot and play a little bit more under control. I do love his aggressive nature, but it can lead to injury concerns, something we’ve seen this year at Alabama.
Mikal Bridges (Redshirt Junior, Wing, Villanova) – The other Bridges with no relation is Mikal – a guy who has absolutely shot up draft charts this season. He’s your prototypical 3-and-D guy with his long arms and ability to catch and shoot. He has the ability to guard four positions at any level and is an incredibly smart basketball player. Throw in the fact he’s already used to switching every screen and guarding four spots at Nova, he can slide in with just about any team. Shooting wise, he’ was on fire this year at 42%, which is up from the 39% he shot last year. He’s much better at catch and shoot situations than he is off the bounce, but watching him in person against Xavier and Kansas he started to show he can hit NBA shots. He took Xavier off the dribble a couple times and pulled up at the top of the key a couple times to hit shots. That’s going to be the key for him going forward is if he can create just enough of a shot for himself. The other concern for him going forward is if he puts on any weight. Right now he’s 6’6? 210 lbs. He’s been at Villanova for four years and has sort of plateaued in his frame. I don’t know exactly how much more you can get out of him, which means you may only be able to let him defend 1-through-3 instead of 1-4. However, there is a prototype for this sort of player. It’s a similar scouting report to Klay Thompson. Not one that was great at creating for himself off the bounce coming out of Washington State. A really good defender. Could guard multiple positions.
Wendell Carter Jr. (Freshman, Post, Duke) – The guy who might be the most overlooked top prospect simply because of who he is playing with. Wendell Carter is a damn good player and averaged 13.5 points and 9.1 reboundsdespite playing with the likes of Marvin Bagley and Grayson Allen. Carter is your more traditional post player, but can step out and shoot it if necessary. He’s not going to blow anyone away with his athleticism, but he’s incredibly smart and knows how to get in the right position. He also has a soft touch for a guy his size. He shot 41% from three on 46 attempts and 74% from the free throw line. You can use him in a couple of different offensive sets and play him next to Kristaps without the lane being clogged. The biggest concern here is his quickness on the defensive side of the ball and we’ve seen Duke struggle with him and Bagley in man to man settings. However, he does a good job of protecting the rim as he’s blocking over 2 shots per game. Pairing him with Kristaps would give that rim protection a nice boost. He’s also an excellent passer, both from the high post and low post settings. You just have concern about the defensive side of the ball. Remember he ended up having to play in a zone for the majority of the season. Can he transition back to man defense where he’ll be put in PnR?
Miles Bridges (Sophomore, Stretch, Michigan State) – Miles Bridges is a fascinating prospect to me. He’s caught some flack for not being super aggressive in attacking the lane and drawing fouls this year at Michigan State. But there’s a reason for that. The lane is crowded. Bridges is playing the three spot with Izzo pairing him with Jaren Jackson and Nick Ward. If he drives the lane, he’s just driving into traffic. I’ll give Bridges all the credit in the world for playing within the game and what he’s dealing with. Bridges is an absolute freak athletically, which in turn makes him a unique defender. He has the size and athleticism to guard both forward spots at both the NCAA and NBA level. He also is athletic enough to protect the rim, especially from the weakside. He’s improved his shooting this year, going from a 68% free throw shooter to 85%. That’s something that really sticks out to me. That says his shot isn’t broken, he can provide a stretch spot while filling in some other needs. When you look at him next to Kristaps, it’s a great fit. Bridges can crash the glass with Kristaps, especially on the offensive side of the ball and where the Knicks don’t have to send a bunch of guards to the glass. I do wonder about his fit at the next level. He’s always been able to be excellent due to his extreme athleticism and isn’t necessarily super fluid with his handle and creating. Can he be more of a playmaker or is he someone who is going to finish lobs and rebound?
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Zhaire Smith (Freshman, Wing, Texas Tech) – Speaking of guys who flew up the draft boards, Zhaire Smith was a sub-250 prospect coming into the year. Now he’s a projected lottery pick and a wildly intriguing prospect. He’s someone who can step in and defend right away. Remember David Fizdale has said he wants to be a defensive-first team. Now while that’s concerning to some people, remember that’s the Spurs philosophy too. That was also part of the Heat philosophy when he was an assistant there. It’s not all bad if you have enough offensive talent. Smith shot the ball well, but never really shot the ball. His shot is a bit broken as he has a weird hitch, but needs to get a quicker release. However, he’s incredibly athletic and gives Miles Bridges a run for the most athletic player in this draft.
Order of who I’d want realistically available based on fit and team needs:
1. Mikal Bridges
2. Wendell Carter
3. Miles Bridges
4. Kevin Knox
5. Collin Sexton
6. Trae Young
7. Zhaire Smith
8. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Overall top-10 guys not based on team need:
1. Deandre Ayton
2. Marvin Bagley
3. Michael Porter Jr.* (health pending)
4. Jaren Jackson Jr.
5. Luka Doncic
6. Mo Bamba
7. Mikal Bridges
8. Collin Sexton
9. Trae Young
10. Kevin Knox