Knicks Trade Rumors: Teams Called NY About Moving Up to Draft Michael Porter Jr.
Teams picking ahead of the New York Knicks in the first round of the 2018 NBA draft have reportedly called the Knicks to gauge their interest in trading up to select Missouri forward Michael Porter Jr.
According to ESPN.com's Ian Begley, opposing teams are said to be aware of the Knicks' affinity for Porter.
Knicks representatives will head to Chicago to watch Porter work out Friday, and they attended his pro day last week.
New York currently owns the No. 9 overall pick in the 2018 NBA draft.
Begley added that the Knicks haven't indicated they are specifically targeting Porter over other players and that no deal has been reached regarding a trade up.
In his one collegiate season at Mizzou, Porter was limited to just three games because of injury. In those games, he averaged 10.0 points and 6.7 rebounds per game.
Porter was the No. 2 overall prospect in the nation out of high school, per 247Sports' composite rankings.
At the 2018 NBA combine, Porter measured at nearly 6'11" in shoes with a wingspan of just over 7'0", giving him elite length at the small forward position.
The Knicks are severely lacking in terms of depth on the wing, and Tim Hardaway Jr. is the only proven player under contract for next season with the ability to provide quality minutes at small forward.
Should New York manage to select Porter, it will give the team a promising, young duo of big men in the form of Porter and Kristaps Porzingis.
As part of his latest big board, Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman ranked Porter as the No. 9 overall prospect in the draft.
Wasserman also projected in his most recent mock draft that the Chicago Bulls will take Porter with the No. 7 overall pick, leaving the Knicks with Villanova forward Mikal Bridges at No. 9.
If Wasserman's projection is accurate, the Knicks won't have to make a significant leap in the first round to land Porter if he is the player they covet.
