Knicks 2019 NBA Draft Rumors: NY Schedules Jarrett Culver for June 5 Workout

The New York Knicks are reportedly working out Texas Tech wing Jarrett Culver on June 5, according to Ian Begley of SNY.

Per that report, "Some members of the Knicks' front office are high on the 6'6" shooting guard."

The near consensus heading into this year's NBA draft has been that Duke's Zion Williamson, Murray State's Ja Morant and Duke's RJ Barrett were the top three prospects in this draft and would come off the board in that order to the New Orleans Pelicans, Memphis Grizzlies and the Knicks, respectively. 

It would be shocking if Williamson and Morant didn't go one-two. But the Knicks could be a wild card. 

For one, the team could trade the pick. The Knicks will assuredly try to put a package together to land Anthony Davis, with the third overall pick the crown jewel of any offer. So it's possible that the Knicks won't be selecting at No. 3 as they look to make a splash via trades and free agency.

But there's also the possibility that the Knicks pass on Barrett and go after a player like Culver, who proved at Texas Tech that he can get buckets. B/R's Jonathan Wasserman has Culver No. 4 on his big board, calling him a "an evolved offensive player and creator" who has "textbook tools for an NBA shooting guard."

He added that Culver "checks boxes across the board with enough competence in terms of ball-handling, shot-making, passing and defending."

Culver may not have the superstar upside of Williamson or Morant, but he doesn't have any glaring weaknesses either.

The Athletic's Sam Vecenie also broke down Culver's game:

"He's a terrific ball-handler and playmaker, with the ability to get to his pull-up jumper with ease. He's also improved dramatically as a jump shooter, going from a left-eye dominant sling shooter to a shooter who brings the ball up from the middle of his body and can knock down shots. He still needs to iron out a few things at the top of the jumper, including a small hitch. Overall though, it’s easy to imagine him as the 2-guard, secondary ball-handler, given his size at 6'6" and creativity."

The Knicks could do worse than Culver, who projects to be a very good 2-guard at the NBA level. But if they pass on Barrett with third pick, it will nonetheless raise some eyebrows.