SPANISH HARLEM – It’s finally D-Day (Draft Day) for the New York Knicks. Some names have shot up since my last article about the draft and I will look into whether they fit where this organization is headed. Further more, I will explain who I want drafted and why. The NBA draft is a crap shoot and this franchise has made its fair share of mistakes, who here remembers Federic Weis? But today all that can change if the Knicks select the right person.
Lets start with the favorite, Mikal Bridges‘ name continues to be linked with the Knicks because of his outside shooting and defense… and the lord knows this team needs more guys that can play defense. The only negative is that he is one of the oldest guys in the draft at 22 years old. That takes away from his potential when discussing younger guys in the draft. NBA Executives love potential and being younger allows team to project what a player will be. Mikal’s game took time to develop in college and in some cases that is frowned upon because of the one-and-done era. He might be the safest pick for the Knicks and a roster need but is he the guy you want to build around?
Another name that continues to make waves in New York is that of Trae Young. He and his family have stated that they would love to be drafted by the Knicks but some mock drafts have him going to the Orlando Magic at 6. Young is the one player that people can see drop if the Magic insist on going with another pick. The only problem, the Knicks supposedly drafted their point guard of the future when they selected Frank Ntilikina, at last years draft. On the outside looking in, he doesn’t fit a need but if Knicks brass thinks he is the best player, it will be hard to look past him when he might be the next Stephen Curry.
Mo Bamba‘s name has sneaked into the conversation with rumors that the Knicks may trade up to get him. He has rocketed up draft boards recently because of his length, defense and ability to shoot the 3 for a big man. It may seem like a stretch that the Knicks would trade up for a project like Bamba but then again these are the Knicks. He would seem like a fit, especially if Enes Kanter opts out of his deal and with Kristaps Porzingis out for possibly the whole season. He would provide the elite defense that every team looks for in a big man but in today’s NBA, do you really want two 7 footers in the game at crunch time when KP is healthy?
Finally my favorite to join the Knicks is… Kevin Knox. I bought my ticket for the Knox hype train and now I’m fully on board. Knox is 18 years old, 6’9 and possibly still growing. Super athletic for his height and has a body that is still a work in progress. His offensive potential is off the charts, he can shoot from anywhere, can play inside and out, long enough to play good defense and is three years younger than the favorite to be picked, Mikal Bridges. If the Knicks are really looking to rebuild and have a good team in a couple years, why not go with the younger guy you can develop. Potential is a word that can get General Managers fired if they make the wrong choice but I am not a GM. Kevin Knox is my guy and I’m sticking to it.
That’s it. Leave a comment and come back tomorrow for something stellar again. Also, you can find us on Twitter @BuddyDiaz19, @MeetTheMatts & @Matt_McCarthy00, Instagram @MeetTheMatts and like our Facebook pages, Meet The Matts & Buddy Diaz.
