Knicks to Pick Eighth

The New York Knicks did not move up during the draft lottery and will be selecting eighth in next month’s NBA Draft. The franchise had a 2.8 percent chance of landing the top overall pick in the draft, a 3.26 percent of getting the No. 2 overall pick, and a 3.87 percent chance of moving up to the No. 3 spot. Here is a look at some players the Knicks could select on June 25th.

Stephen Curry (Davidson)- The junior guard led the nation in scoring at 28.6 points per game. He played the point last season and averaged 5.6 assists. The 21-year old showed not only can he create his own shot off the dribble but that he can also create shots for his teammates. Curry is a high-IQ guard who showed he can play both the point and shooting guard. He would provide depth and a pure shooter in Head Coach Mike D’Antonio’s spread offense. There are many ways Curry can be involved in the offense such as pick and roll sets or running him off screens to open up shots. There have been rumors already linking Curry to the Knicks before the lottery happened.

Ty Lawson (UNC)- Lawson is regarded as the best pure point guard in the draft. He helped lead the Tarheels to the NCAA championship averaging 20.8 points, 6.8 assists and 5 steals a game in the tournament. He set a NCAA championship-game record with eight steals against Michigan State. During the regular season he finished eighth in the nation with 6.5 assists per game. He also shot 53% from the field and 47% from three. Knicks PG Chris Duhon battled fatigued during the second half of the season which led to his decline of minutes, points, assists, rebounds, and steals compared to the first half. Lawson can already pass and shoot like a NBA player and has the speed and strength to excel as a floor general.

Jordan Hill (Arizona)- Hill averaged 18.3 points and finished 10th in the nation in rebounds with 11 a game. The athletic big also blocked 1.7 shots for the Wildcats last season. As a team the Knicks finished last in blocks with 2.5 per game and opposing teams shot 48% which was third worst in the league. The Junior recorded 19 double-doubles last year and had eight games where he grabbed 14 or more rebounds. His post-game needs polish but he can run the floor and score in transition. Scouts are enthused about his rebounding  and physical profile. If the Knicks decide to trade restricted freee agent F/C David Lee, Hill has all the attributes to step in. The 21-year old is 6′10″ and 235 pounds and has developed a 18-foot jumper to go along with strong finishes off the pick and roll.

Honorable mention:

 DeMar Derozan (USC),  Tyreke Evans (Memphis), Jrue Holliday (UCLA)