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Knicks Rumors: Five reasons to select Edmond Sumner in 2017 NBA Draft

By Maxwell Ogden

Dec 20, 2016; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Xavier Musketeers guard Edmond Sumner (4) dribbles the ball during the second half against the Eastern Washington Eagles at the Cintas Center. Xavier won 85-56. Mandatory Credit: Frank Victores-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 20, 2016; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Xavier Musketeers guard Edmond Sumner (4) dribbles the ball during the second half against the Eastern Washington Eagles at the Cintas Center. Xavier won 85-56. Mandatory Credit: Frank Victores-USA TODAY Sports /
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Jun 10, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Shaun Livingston (34) shoots the ball against Cleveland Cavaliers forward Channing Frye (9) in game four of the NBA Finals at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ronald Martinez/Pool Photo via USA TODAY Sports
Jun 10, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Shaun Livingston (34) shoots the ball against Cleveland Cavaliers forward Channing Frye (9) in game four of the NBA Finals at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ronald Martinez/Pool Photo via USA TODAY Sports /

Upside Comparisons

Shaun Livingston is the perfect player for Edmond Sumner to pattern himself after. Livingston overcame a devastating knee injury to become a two-time NBA champion and revered glue guy, contributing on both ends of the floor with his size, versatility, and basketball IQ.

Between saving the Brooklyn Nets in 2013-14 and becoming the ultimate glue for the Golden State Warriors, Livingston is the poster child for point guards with elite size and an injury-based mountain to climb.

While Livingston met contemporary standards in the mid-to-late 2000s by developing a lights-out shot from midrange, Sumner could do the same with the 3-ball.

A more ambitious projection for Sumner is the Xavier star putting a point guard spin on one of Livingston’s teammates in Golden State: Andre Iguodala. Like Iguodala, Sumner possesses elite athleticism, defensive versatility, and the ability to create for his teammates.

Sumner is also comparable to Iguodala in the sense that he may be better as a situational playmaker than a featured star, which is what the triangle offense would call on him to be.

Sumner clearly plays a different position than Iguodala, but he could be at guard as Iguodala is along the wings: positionally interchangeable and invaluable on both ends.

The final upside comparison is Sacramento Kings playmaker Tyreke Evans. They rely on  two different strengths—Evans his physicality, and Sumner his athleticism—but both get the job in similar ways as outstanding slashers and finishers.

Evans could find the opening in a sealed Ziploc bag, and Sumner has the potential to make the same contributions for the New York Knicks.

The advantage for Sumner is that he can learn from Evans’ mistakes and improve his shooting and defensive consistency early in his career.

Must Read: Non-lottery point guard prospects to consider in the 2017 NBA Draft

Rather than investing tens of millions of dollars in testing what Derrick Rose has left in the tank, the New York Knicks would be better off investing a draft pick in Edmond Sumner.

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