With the season on the decline and Carmelo Anthony rumored to be traded, which small forwards should the New York Knicks be looking at in the 2017 NBA Draft?
The New York Knicks are approaching the most critical stage of the 2016-17 NBA regular season: the trade deadline. Carmelo Anthony’s future with the Knicks is up in the air, which begs the question: what does the future hold at small forward?
With or without Anthony at small forward, Phil Jackson and the Knicks will need to evaluate the best prospects at the position leading up to the 2017 NBA Draft.
If Anthony is traded, then the Knicks will need to draft a replacement who will fill the long-term void. If he’s kept around beyond the 2017 NBA Draft, then it stands to reason that he could be moved to power forward.
It’s worth noting that Anthony’s best season in New York was spent at power forward—a move that resulted in New York winning 54 games and ‘Melo securing the scoring title.
Regardless of what the future holds, Jackson needs to keep tabs on the best available players in the 2017 NBA Draft. Having already evaluated the point guards and shooting guards, it’s only rational to move on to the small forwards.
The question is: who are the best small forwards in the 2017 NBA Draft and how might they fit with the New York Knicks?