LaMelo Ball's Manager Jermaine Jackson Denies Knicks Rumor Ahead of NBA Draft

On Thursday, Ian Begley of SNY reported that "multiple teams believe LaMelo Ball and those in his circle prefer that he lands in New York" with the Knicks.  

But over the weekend, Ball's manager Jermaine Jackson shot down that rumor, calling it "a lie":

Jackson may deny the reports, but LaMelo's father, LaVar Ball, has already said on more than one occasion that he thinks the Knicks would be a great fit.

"The bright lights, East Coast. If everything lines up right, the Knicks get the first pick and get LaMelo and LiAngelo with him and somehow get Lonzo in the long run," he said in May on the Load Management podcast (h/t SNY). "Shoot—The Triple B's. The Ball Brothers on Broadway."

Those comments echoed remarks he made in March on Undisputed:

And in May, Marc Berman of the New York Post reported that "some league sources believe the Ball camp will try to steer the 18-year-old point guard to the Knicks." 

Where there's smoke, there is fire, as the old saying goes.

From a purely business standpoint, it isn't surprising that LaVar Ball would want his son in a major market like New York. From a basketball standpoint, it would also make a lot of sense, as the Knicks need to add a playmaking point guard to their roster.

They have a solid shot at ending up with a top-four pick, though at 21-45, they finished with the sixth-worst record in the NBA, which could hurt their chances to be in a position to select Ball. He's expected to be one of the first players selected in this year's draft, and depending on the fit, he could even go No. 1 overall.

So it's hardly a guarantee that the team could even be in a position to select him. But despite Jackson's comments, it sure looks as though LaVar Ball wants to get his youngest son to the Knicks if there's any chance it could happen.