Emmanuel Mudiay may be the most talented player available when the Knicks make the fourth overall selection, but could they trade the pick?
When the ping pong balls stopped and the 2015 NBA Draft order was finalized last Tuesday, the New York Knicks were labeled the biggest losers of the evening. Despite going 17-65 this season (the worst record in franchise history) and earning the second-highest odds of winning the first overall pick in this year’s draft, the Knicks’ fortunes took another turn for the worst after the team slid down to fourth in the draft order. Coincidentally, the Los Angeles Lakers jumped from fourth to second, as the two storied franchises were the only two to move up or down from their projected landing spots.
Unless New York finds some way to trade up (which is extremely unlikely), the Knicks will not only miss out on both Duke center Jahlil Okafor and Kentucky center Karl-Anthony Towns, but Ohio State guard D’Angelo Russell could also be out of play. President of basketball operations Phil Jackson was fined back in March for his comments regarding Russell, who at the time hadn’t declared for the draft.
With Okafor, Towns and Russell seemingly out of reach, the Knicks are reportedly interested in trading their lottery pick. Yahoo! Sports reporter Adrian Wojnarowski believes the team will be very active on the phones prior to the draft in June.
New York already has an All-Star in forward Carmelo Anthony, but he isn’t getting any younger. Therefore, it would make sense if the Knicks decide to make their fourth overall pick available in order to chase after another star player via trade. Sacramento Kings center DeMarcus Cousins has been connected to both Anthony and the Knicks, while Ty Lawson and Kenneth Faried of the Denver Nuggets are also reportedly available. Both the Kings and Nuggets own lottery picks, but earning another one in a class loaded with talent would give both teams a much needed jump-start.
Cousins would likely be first on the Knicks’ list of trade targets, as the big man from Kentucky earned his first All-Star bid after an excellent 2014-15 season. Despite re-signing forward Rudy Gay and bringing in point guard Darren Collison in an effort to compete this season, the Kings could move DMC if they receive the right offer. New head coach George Karl commented toward the end of the season that any player on the roster could be available, specifically Cousins.
If New York is unable to strike a deal with Sacramento, the team could go after Lawson and Faried. Denver fired head coach Brian Shaw in March and the team is in dire need of a rebuild. Owning both the fourth and seventh overall picks in the draft would add some much needed young talent to a roster that includes center Jusuf Nurkic and guard Gary Harris, two first-rounders in last year’s draft. Faried disappointed this season after signing a four-year, $50 million extension, while Lawson had personal issues as well as issues with Shaw. A change of scenery for both players could help get them back on track.
As far as the draft goes, point guard Emmanuel Mudiay will likely be the best available player if the Knicks decide to keep their pick. However, while Mudiay possesses great athleticism and an NBA body, it’s unclear how he would fit in the triangle system, as he isn’t a very good perimeter shooter. New York could look to reach for either Duke forward Justise Winslow or Kentucky center Willie Cauley-Stein, with Cauley-Stein likely being a better fit because of the Knicks’ lack of frontcourt depth, rim protection and overall defensive ability. But it could make more sense for the Knicks to trade down and collect more assets if they decide to build through the draft, as teams such as the Orlando Magic, Kings and Nuggets would love to get their hands on either of those players.
Ultimately, don’t expect the Knicks to be selecting fourth overall in this year’s draft. Expect New York to put a package together for some established NBA talents like Cousins or Faried/Lawson, and if that plan fails, the team’s best plan B will be to trade down, stock up and plan for 2016.
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
