2017 NBA Draft Preview
TKW Roundtable: Last Minute Draft Questions
Which point guard? Trade at eight? And more thoughts from the TKW staff on the upcoming 2017 NBA Draft
Draft day undoubtedly changes the lives of 60 basketball prospects from around the world. On Thursday, the Barclays Center will house anxious ballers, some still in their teens, and teams looking to add an NBA-ready body or trust their process.
The New York Knicks are no different that the other 29 teams while evaluating prospects in college or playing abroad. The ‘Bockers have positional needs, and both short and long-term goals that can start getting accomplished via the draft. New York has three draft spots this year: the 8th overall pick, and two second round picks (44th and 58th). While a lot can change between now and tomorrow night, as evidenced by the big pick swap between Philly and Boston that happened in a heartbeat, the Knicks have these three picks and plenty of prospects to pore over.
We gathered the writers of our 2017 NBA Draft preview together and asked three crucial questions headed into the big night. Let’s see what they had to share:
Should the Knicks draft the best available player or best available point guard?
Mike Cortez, staff writer: Best talent available and it’s not even a discussion to me. I get the point guard argument–the last All-Star point guard the Knicks drafted was Mark Jackson in 1987. That’s anemic drafting, but that should not cloud the team’s judgement. Right now, the team is Kristaps Porzingis, Willy Hernangómez, and everyone else.
With that in mind, any player that fits alongside those two coupled with the highest ceiling should be the pick. Whether that player is a wing (Jonathan Isaac) or a flamethrowing shooting guard (Malik Monk), all options must be considered. Having said that, Dennis Smith, Jr., or Frank Ntilikina in New York would not be the worst thing to happen at eight.
James W., staff writer: Given the reports we’re hearing, I’d say the Knicks will take the best available point guard. We already know the franchise-changing guards are going to be gone by no. 8. The Knicks are perpetually thin in the back court. You can always acquire a wing or forward via trade or free agency. This is the one time where the Knicks have to draft strictly on positional need, instead of who is left talent wise.
Brendan Duball, staff writer: Best player available (BPA) is the best draft strategy, regardless of sport. BPA builds depth, offers flexibility for trades, and even allows new position experiments (giggity). Sure, it doesn’t make sense to draft a small forward when you have a guy like Kevin Durant or Paul George with 10+ years of basketball ahead of them, but the Knicks are not in any position to be reaching for need. If I’ve understood sports correctly during the 23 years of my life, good teams have good players. The Knicks do not have enough good players on their roster. They need more. Reaching for a point guard would be a mistake, regardless of the dire need for one.
Matt Spendley, associate editor: Best available player. The Knicks are in a position right now where they have needs up and down the roster. If a guy like Isaac miraculously falls, they can’t get too cute. Take the best guy and worry about it later.
Ankit Mehra, staff writer: This question has been the talking point leading up the draft for the Knicks. On one hand, a talent like Jayson Tatum looks like a prospect you just can’t pass up on, but on the other hand, the Knicks haven’t had true stability at the 1 since a 15 day stretch in February of 2012 (hint: Linsanity). That should be concerning for whoever is reading this. Despite rumors of Carmelo Anthony leaving this offseason, as of right now he’s here. Kristaps Porzingis is the franchise centerpiece and Willy Hernangomez looked very good down the stretch. Courtney Lee is a viable option at shooting guard and because of all those intangibles, there’s no reason the Knicks shouldn’t look to find stability in a floor general through this point guard heavy draft class.
Nick Scolaro, staff writer: I believe in the Knicks case (and in any case), the best available player should be selected, regardless of team need.
Most likely, neither Lonzo Ball nor DeA’aron Fox will be available at eight and I am not sold on any other point guard in this draft. If a supremely talented player like Malik Monk or Jonathan Isaac is available, it wouldn’t be wise to pass them up to select DSJ or Ntilikina just for the sake of grabbing a point man. There are other ways the Knicks can fill that void, either in the second round or through free agency.
Having a surefire NBA-ready player on the roster going into this season is much more exciting and optimal than banking on an unknown commodity in Frank Ntilikina or DSJ, who really didn’t impress me in terms of his leadership and defense.
Jeffrey Bellone, columnist: What scares me about this question is whether the Knicks are thinking about it in a different way. Is Phil Jackson looking for the best available point guard? Or is he targeting the best available point guard for the Triangle? For example, if DSJ and Ntilikina are both available when the Knicks make their pick, you could argue that Smith has the higher potential, while Ntilikina would be a better fit for the Triangle. You could also argue Ntilikina is the safer pick, regardless of the Triangle consideration, which makes this question more difficult.
In the end, I hope the Knicks select the best player available, independent of system or style of play, whether that’s a point guard or not. The Triangle will be gone in a few years, but this draft pick will last a lifetime (in our memories at least).
Ryan Punzalan, editor-in-chief: Contrast to my beliefs earlier this year, the Knicks should draft the best available player. Look, we all want a point guard and this year’s crop of point guards are shaping up to be one of the best we’ve seen in recent times. That being said, the Knicks need a lot of help in every aspect of their team, and the best available player will help solidify their roster. Say a small forward is available; you take him, then deal with the logjam after the draft. A non-traditional guard is available and is the best available player? You take him, then handle the overabundance of guards after the fact.
The Knicks need talent, and getting the best available player is a step in the right direction to making their roster respectable again.
Should the Knicks trade their pick, and if so, what would a deal look like?
Brendan: I’ve been wavering back and forth about the idea of trading back, but the answer to this question really depends on what happens in picks 1–7. Say the Knicks are left with Ntilikina, Monk, and Mitchell as the top three guys on their draft board and are offered some sort of package involving young, high ceiling players (Allen Crabbe) and a combination of picks (nos. 15 and 20, please). You know what? I wouldn’t mind it (looking at you, Portland). If the Knicks are committed to a rebuild, trading back to potentially snag multiple decent, young rookies is a step in the right direction. Rebuilding doesn’t happen overnight, but it also doesn’t happen with just one promising prospect. Now is the time to acquire a few youthful players to grow and develop chemistry alongside Kristaps and Willy, even if it means giving up a guy like Lee or O’Quinn.
Jeff: I could take the easy way out and drop this link for a piece I wrote on a possible Knicks-Blazers trade, but I will elaborate.
DraftExpress has Knick target Frank Ntilikina falling to the 14th slot in their latest mock. Each NBA team has their own ranking of prospects — their board — which outside of the top few picks could vary from team-to-team. If the Knicks have Ntilikina ranked eighth or higher on their board, and everyone else has him outside of the top 10, it makes sense to trade down. We saw the Celtics do this over the weekend. We can’t be certain in knowing what they were thinking, but a logical guess would be that the player they liked the most was not Fultz, so why not trade down and get their preferred player and additional assets?
The Knicks should absolutely trade their pick if they are able to acquire additional assets.
James: I can’t really think of a deal for the Knicks that would be worth trading the pick for. The assets aren’t there to move up, and moving down seems pointless. With a deep draft like this, if they miss on Malik Monk or Frank, there’s plenty of guards who can mask that. The Knicks’ biggest issue has been player development. This is a draft that will test if that still rings true.
Mike:
The only scenario they should even consider trading their pick is if the Lakers call offering D’Angelo Russell. That’s not happening since Russell is now under Brooklyn’s control, so let’s not waste anymore time on this.
Ankit: The free agency class isn’t a game changer and I can’t remember the last time the Knicks won a trade, so I’m hesitant not to take a prospect considering that one of the Knicks’ few strong suits lately has been drafting. One deal that potentially comes to mind surrounds Frank Ntilikina. Per Chad Ford, Ntilinkina’s coach at Strasbourg, Vincent Collet, is going to coach for the Dallas Mavericks Orlando Summer League team, potentially giving away the fact that the Mavericks want him. The Mavs will be picking ninth on Thursday, one spot behind the Knicks. If a deal could occur where the Knicks nab an efficient shooter like Seth Curry while also getting the ninth pick for the eighth pick, that could be too good to pass up.
Nick: If the Knicks are able to work out a deal in which they can either move up, or acquire another first while keeping the eighth pick, then I’m all for it.
One scenario I am a huge proponent of is acquiring the Portland Trail Blazers 15th pick and Moe Harkless. Not only that would that give the Knicks the ability to get TWO talented first-rounders, but it would also let them add a veteran winger in Harkless who could be a great glue guy on a young roster.
As currently constituted, Portland owns three first round picks, so trading for one of them isn’t going to cost the Knicks an arm and a leg (we hope). If the Knicks decide to stand pat and not trade for a pick, I’m sure most fans will accept it. The only move that would upset me is if they traded down in this talent loaded top 10. It doesn’t make sense for the Knicks to stockpile mid-first and second round picks when a potential transcendent player could fall into their lap.
Don’t be totally shocked to see Phil and the front office make some moves between now and Thursday. Something tells me the Knicks have a trick up their sleeve. Whether that’s positive or negative, we will find out.
Matt: No. The Knicks would benefit more from taking one of the guys that will be available at eight rather than obtain two later first round picks. If they get an offer that makes a ton of sense, sure, they can trade it. But I wouldn’t be eager to move out of this spot.
Ryan: The Knicks should only trade their pick if they’re receiving more picks and/or young players in return. Considering that the likelihood of any of that happening is slim, the Knicks should not trade their pick.
Who’s the dream prospect you want to fall to the Knicks at no. 8 and who will realistically be there to draft?
Matt: Ideally, I’d like Malik Monk to fall to 8. He’ll be a lethal shooter from day one, and he has upside as a lead ball handler. Realistically, Frank Ntilikina makes the most sense. If the Knicks are adamant about the Triangle, which they evidently are based on reports coming out of prospect workouts, he fits the mold perfectly: tall, unselfish, and can shoot. I expect the first six players drafted to be, in some order: Fultz, Ball, Tatum, Jackson, Fox, Isaac. It’s anyone’s guess after that.
Jeff: This is a tough one, since “dream” prospect and “realistically available at 8” kind of offset each other. But to focus in on a prospect commonly ranked higher than 8th who could fall to the Knicks, let’s talk about Jonathan Isaac.
Jonathan Isaac is the modern NBA prospect. He has length and athleticism, two traits that are required to compete in today’s switch-on-everything league. He would be a great fit on the Knicks as a complimentary forward to Kristaps Porzingis. At 6’11” tall with a reach over nine feet, Isaac can comfortably match up against opposing bigs. And, even if teams try to pull him into a smaller match-up through the pick-and-roll, Isaac has the foot speed to handle that switch. Having a forward who can defend both bigs and guards is important for the Knicks to be able to eventually play Porzingis full time at the 5 without needing to clog the floor with a traditional big man alongside him.
Brendan: I really want to say Jonathan Isaac here, but every molecule in my body is screaming that he’ll be long gone before pick no. 8, especially with the recent news that he refuses to work out for teams past pick no. 4. Here’s my tin-foil hat theory: the Suns have given Isaac a promise to select him at no. 4. Sacramento and Orlando take Fox and Smith, Jr., while Minnesota decides they want shooting and take Monk at no. 7 (unlikely, I know). That leaves Jayson Tatum there for the Knicks. Maybe ‘Melo finally decides he wants out, and Tatum is a smooth fill in. He’s 6'8" with a 7'0" wingspan and can score at all three levels, though this perimeter shooting needs work. Some have even compared him to ‘Melo.
This is a pipe dream and I’m gettin’ some fuckin’ REM sleep.
Ankit: I am a strong believer that De’Aaron Fox, the point guard out of Kentucky, is the second best point guard in this draft class, and a player that could truly transfix himself at point guard for some time to come for the Knicks. Putting in a very strong season under John Calipari this past year, Fox’s dominance against fellow prospect Lonzo Ball in the NCAA Tournament this past March certifies his legitimacy and makes him my dream prospect for the Knicks in this draft class. Realistically, I believe the Knicks end up with one of two options: Dennis Smith, Jr., who I did a draft profile on here, or Frank Ntilikina, the point guard out of France. The Knicks will likely be taking a point guard, and with the eighth overall pick, it looks like those are the two most likely options.
Mike: The obvious dream is Markelle Fultz, but I’ll be semi-realistic and go with De’Aaron Fox. He has the potential to be a hybrid of Mike Conley and John Wall, which is a lot more exciting than you’d think. He’d be the best athlete to ever play point guard for the Knicks and the perfect guy to run Jeff Hornacek’s offense.
Sadly, the Knicks are not running Hornacek’s offense, but instead the Triangle. Have you heard of it? With that in mind, the realistic option also hails from UK, Malik Monk. That’s the type of bravado this team needs. Monk heat checks were made for MSG the same way Jay-Z was made to flow over Kanye instrumentals.
Having Monk run the point in the Triangle is much less of a crime than it would be forcing Fox to dumb down his ability setting up an archaic offense. And the good news? Monk thinks he can thrive in the Triangle.
Oh, and he can do this:
I’m sold.
James: The options at no. 8 are a toss up now that the Sixers are definitely taking Fultz, and I think the Celtics will take Jackson or Tatum. I’m not 100 percent sold on Dennis Smith, Jr., either. It’s hard to tell which of the Kentucky guards will have the better career, but I’ve liked Fox just a little bit more than Monk. We’d be lucky to get either, but playing alongside KP, Fox would be a dream. Just please God, stay away from Luke Kennard!
Nick: With the top four to five picks being a relatively foregone conclusion (Fultz, Ball, Jackson, Tatum, Fox), I have my sights set on Malik Monk at eight. He is an exciting prospect, who has the potential to revitalize Knicks land in a short amount of time with his explosive scoring ability. Monk would be an incredible steal at eight, because to me he is a top-five talent in this draft class.
Knowing the Knicks luck, Monk will be gone and they will have to pick between guys like Isaac, DSJ, Ntilikina, and maybe even Lauri Markkanen. As I said before, it would behoove the Knicks to take the best available player, and whoever that is from this bunch needs to be in the orange and blue. Out of that group of guys, I would take Isaac because of his strong commitment to defense and his freakish athleticism and versatility.
Isaac undoubtedly is going to endure plenty of growing pains, but the Knicks can afford to live with that while they rebuild over the next couple of seasons. Him and KP on the court could cause nightmare inducing mismatches for opposing defenses.
Ryan: De’Aaron Fox is the prospect I want the Knicks to draft, but I really think either the Kings or Magic scoop him up before dropping to 8th. With that said, a handful of talented guards should be available for the Knicks: Monk, Ntilikina, and Smith Jr. all should be available. So, out of those three… give me Frank Ntilikina! What’s not to like? He’s young, he’s versatile, he’s a great defender, and he has an absurd wingspan that would allow him to flourish in New York.
Okay, tomorrow’s the big night. Follow The Knicks Wall on Twitter and Facebook for breaking news during the draft and watch the TKW Podcast’s live episode whether you’re home or away. For players and draft analysis, check out our coverage on the 2017 NBA Draft preview page.
