The 2017 NBA Draft holds a world of possibilities for the New York Knicks. What might team president Phil Jackson do to take advantage of this opportunity?
The New York Knicks are on pace to be one of the most influential teams in the 2017 NBA Draft. With a swing pick in the first round and a pair of second-round selections to follow, the Knicks are in line to change both their own future and that of the Association.
Whether or not Carmelo Anthony stays in New York, or Maurice Harkless and Ricky Rubio are traded for, the Knicks will have undeniably attractive options.
The first of the Knicks’ guaranteed three selections in the 2017 NBA Draft will come at No. 8 overall. That selection will be New York’s second lottery pick since 2009—an upsetting truth considering it’s missed the playoffs five times during that timeframe.
As the Knicks pursue a brighter future, the question of the hour is consistently surfacing: should New York draft a point guard?
It’d be irrational to deny the importance of having a high-quality point guard in the modern NBA. Unfortunately, the Knicks’ preferred options may not be available at No. 8 overall—a truth that may open the door for a polarizing prospect with superstar potential.
The New York Knicks may yet draft a point guard, but in this mock of the 2017 NBA Draft, Phil Jackson goes a different route in Round 1.