Knicks News: GM Scott Perry Discusses 2018 NBA Draft Strategy at Combine

The New York Knicks are not worrying about positional fit in the 2018 NBA draft.

During Thursday's NBA combine telecast on ESPN, Knicks general manager Scott Perry said the team will select the best player available at No. 9 regardless of position. He said "so be it" if the best player is a wing, which is regarded as the team's biggest area of need.

The Knicks enter the 2018 offseason with little hope for the 2018-19 season. Kristaps Porzingis is expected to miss most—if not all—of the year after suffering a torn ACL in February. The Knicks also might not have much (if any) cap space, depending on what Enes Kanter decides to do about his $18.6 million player option.

Even if Kanter declines his option to become a free agent, the Knicks won't have enough money for a difference-maker. They hired David Fizdale as their head coach knowing the 2018-19 campaign will be about player development. The Knicks took point guard Frank Ntilikina with the ninth pick a year ago, but he did not get much playing time under former coach Jeff Hornacek.

Giving Ntilikina and other younger players extended run will be Fizdale's top priority next season.

A top-level prospect could slip to the Knicks to No. 9. Michael Porter Jr. was one of the top-rated prospects in high school, but his draft stock dipped a bit because of his back injury. If Porter is available at No. 9, he could be an ideal candidate at the 4 if Fizdale plays Porzingis at the 5.