Last-Minute New York Knicks' Draft Whiteboard
Punch-drunk sports observers ever contemplating the curious maneuvers of New York Knicks president Phil Jackson wonder what will drive his decisions at the 2017 NBA draft. Whether through genius, incompetence, indifference, romance or willful self-destruction, Knicks fans will have new players to welcome into the Orange and Blue family.
The 2017 draft is top-heavy with talented guards, something the Knicks desperately need. Jackson himself noted in an MSG Networks interview Wednesday night that the Knicks have a "dearth" of guards and strength at the 4 and 5, so there was a "good chance" they would draft a guard with their No. 8 pick. Yet Jackson's history of shortchanging his team on backcourt skill (Derrick Rose is the possible exception here) makes one wonder.
New York also has two late second-round selections to probe for talent to round out the bench roster and perhaps beef up an inefficient 2016-17 defense.
How the Picks Were Obtained
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The Knicks won several games fewer than some fans would prefer and several games more than other fans would like. At season's end, the Knicks won 31 games and finished 12th in the Eastern Conference, and the lottery night pingpong balls granted New York the No. 8 pick.
The Knicks obtained the No. 44 selection from the Chicago Bulls last summer in the trade for Derrick Rose and Justin Holiday that sent Jerian Grant and Robin Lopez to Chicago.
The team acquired the No. 58 pick in February 2015 from the Houston Rockets when the legendary defender of the inbounds pass Pablo Prigioni was traded for two second-rounders and legendary hook shot to the stands lofter Alexey Shved.
Will there be yet another pick added to the mix?
If rumors surfaced that Celtics general manager Danny Ainge was "fielding calls" for his best player, fans could assume it was a smart executive doing "due diligence." However, when Phil Jackson fields calls for trading Kristaps Porzingis—his only bona fide front-office success—it raises red flags. Memories of Jackson's trigger-happy trade history and the 40 Knicks who have come and gone since he took over make fans queasy, and for good reason.
The price set for Porzingis sounds quite high. In his MSG interview Wednesday, Jackson said (h/t ESPN.com's Ian Begley): "Does it bring us two starters and a draft pick or something that's even beyond that? [That's] something we have to look at as far as going down the road. We know what he is. He's a unicorn, and he's special."
However, Jackson also mentioned several times that Porzingis skipped his exit interview. Although rumors have calmed since Tuesday, don't be stunned if a last-minute swap is made.
2nd Round: Top Choices
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Nigel Williams-Goss (PG, Gonzaga, Junior)
Williams-Goss was electric in the NCAA title game against North Carolina. Had he not sprained his ankle in the final minutes, Gonzaga might have walked home with the championship. The Knicks are always looking for energy and IQ like his, and if the front office decides to look low for a point guard (as it often does) who can learn and execute an unfamiliar offense, Williams-Goss might be the guy.
He's an excellent eyes-up distributor who can push the pace. He's an above-average rebounder for his position, an effective defender and tacked on 16.8 points per game to boot. Mock drafts by Sports Illustrated, CBSSports.com and DraftExpress think Williams-Goss squeaks in at No. 59 or 60, so he could be available to the Knicks at No. 58.
Sterling Brown (SG, SMU, Senior)
The Knicks definitely need some extra grind at the wing. It's always a plus, but the urgency is particularly high with Lance Thomas' persistent injuries, Justin Holiday's free agency and Carmelo Anthony's potential to waive his trade clause.
Brown would be a wonderful option. The 6'6", 230-pound 2-guard has a powerful build for his position. He's a versatile and efficient shooter with defensive tenacity, strong rebounding instinct and a competitive edge. CBSSports.com projects Brown will be selected at No. 54, but DraftExpress, Sports Illustrated and ESPN.com's Chad Ford all predict Brown to go in the mid-40s.
Sindarius Thornwell (SG, South Carolina, Senior)
Thornwell has many of the same charms Brown promises and offers more scoring. The 6'5", 214-pounder also has a strong build for a wing player. Named SEC Player of the Year for a reason, the broad-shouldered guard grinds on both ends of the floor, putting up a consistently impressive stat line, relentless defense and uncrackable poise.
Thornwell logged 21.4 points per game on 44.5 percent shooting and 39.5 percent from three, and he posted 7.2 boards, 2.1 steals and 1.0 blocks. He was also the main scorer on a defense-first team that surpassed expectations by reaching the Final Four this season. DraftExpress projects the Knicks to select Thornwell at No. 58.
3rd Option: Lauri Markkanen (PF, Arizona, Freshman)
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NC State's thrilling, electric point guard Dennis Smith Jr. is another smart bet to scrawl in as the Knicks' third choice (even first or second), but save some ink in your marker for Lauri Markkanen.
In the unlikely event the big man falls past the Minnesota Timberwolves at No. 7, Jackson and Co. might forget his comment about the dearth in the backcourt and scoop Markkanen up. We know the sweet-shooting 7-footer from Finland has the charms that make Jackson weak in the knees; they're the same traits that made him fall for Porzingis.
Markkanen and KP are not the same player, but there are obvious similarities. So when one blond European 7-footer with a startling jump shot, laser-focused three-ball and deft footwork is disgruntled, wouldn't it be nice to simply replace him with another?
As NBADraft.net puts it, "Markkanen shot 42 percent from distance on 5.9 attempts per 40 minutes, and he may actually be the best shooter in this draft regardless of position."
His post game, however, leaves much to be desired, partly because he needs to get stronger. He gets banged around and knocked out of position relatively easily. It also causes major problems on the defensive end. As NBADraft.net wrote, "As skilled as Markkanen is on the offensive end, he offers nowhere near the same potential on defense."
In other words, he'd come with many of the same concerns and question marks Porzingis did, though unlikely to see the leaderboard in blocks.
Markkanen did enjoy a "great" meeting with Jackson in New York, per Marc Berman of the New York Post. Don't look too much into it, as Markkanen wisely gave the caveat that most teams wished to meet with him and that since the draft is located in New York, a conversation with the Knicks was an easy one to schedule.
2nd Option: Malik Monk (SG, Kentucky, Freshman)
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The electrifying scoring of Malik Monk is hard to resist. The Kentucky freshman shooting guard is explosive and can make difficult shots look easy.
The Knicks' triangle offense efforts have never yet included the help of a high-scoring shooting guard. Malik Monk is not Kobe Bryant or Michael Jordan, but his extra firepower at the 2 spot might provide the oomph Carmelo Anthony and his rotating roster have been missing.
Monk has springs in his shoes and finishes above the rim like he's slamming on a preschooler's Nerf hoop. He knocks down the long ball from NBA range with confidence. He can stop on a dime to drill sharp pull-ups, is terrific in transition and is a willing passer.
As his coach John Calipari raved on a conference call last week:
"With Malik, you have an elite, special athlete. How many guys jump that high on their jump shot and are consistent with it? When he gets in a zone, when he locks it down, you just sit there and say, 'Oh my goodness!' Never once did I have to use a board to draw up stuff with him. I could just tell him and he would go do it. He was a really great basketball mind, could pick up things quickly."
At Kentucky, Monk's success was aided by exquisite feeds from talented point guards, something he may not have in New York.
A one-and-doner seems an out-of-character choice for Jackson and Co. to make, but Monk's talent might sway them.
1st Choice: Frank Ntilikina (PG, France)
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If you're a betting person, put your money on France Pro A league point guard Frank Ntilikina. Not only is he the Knicks' probable first choice, he isn't likely to be chosen any earlier. ESPN.com's Chad Ford bets on the Knicks' selecting Ntilikina at No. 8, and most other mock drafts think he'll go in the No. 9 to 15 range.
An unselfish distributor with great court vision, Ntilikina could be an apt fit for a triangle lead guard; he certainly seems to think so. "The system there is a good system for me," Ntilikina told reporters. "I think I could play in it. The organization is very good. It would be great."
(He's right about the system, but the "organization is very good" comment raises questions about Ntilikina's judgment.)
The big win for the Knicks if they select Ntilikina is that he's a defensive dynamo. Not only does he have a beautifully unreasonable 7'0" wingspan on his 6'5" frame, he knows how to use it. He doesn't just swat at the ball and commit reach-in fouls; he's smart with giving shooters space at the perimeter and times his blocks very well. He has excellent instincts anticipating passes, closing off driving and passing lanes, and providing help when and where needed. He slithers over screens smoothly.
He could bring the defensive intelligence—not just the defensive effort—that New York has been short on and that few incoming draftees have when they enter the league.
Plus, while Kristaps Porzingis skipped his exit interview with Phil Jackson to go bike riding, Frank Ntilikina skipped rest time during a France Pro A League playoff run to come to the NBA draft. These things matter to Jackson.
Who else might be on New York's whiteboard? In addition to Dennis Smith Jr., Louisville point guard Donovan Mitchell and Duke guard Luke Kennard could rise into that No. 8 spot. UNC small forward Justin Jackson is unlikely to be the Knicks' selection at No. 8, but if they add another Round 1 pick to their collection, he might be the favorite.
In the second round, Oregon small forward Dillon Brooks, Nevada power forward Cameron Oliver, Miami wing Davon Reed, Xavier point guard Edmond Sumner and European forward Mystery Man We Haven't Heard Of Yet are all in the mix.
Disagree with Sara Peters on Twitter @3FromThe7.
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