2018 NBA Draft: 3-and-D wings to know before March Madness

ORLANDO, FL - JANUARY 16: Jacob Evans #1 of the Cincinnati Bearcats plays defense on an inbound during a NCAA basketball game against the UCF Knights at the CFE Arena on January 16, 2018 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Alex Menendez/Getty Images)
ORLANDO, FL - JANUARY 16: Jacob Evans #1 of the Cincinnati Bearcats plays defense on an inbound during a NCAA basketball game against the UCF Knights at the CFE Arena on January 16, 2018 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Alex Menendez/Getty Images) /
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ORLANDO, FL – JANUARY 16: Jacob Evans #1 of the Cincinnati Bearcats plays defense on an inbound during a NCAA basketball game against the UCF Knights at the CFE Arena on January 16, 2018 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Alex Menendez/Getty Images)
ORLANDO, FL – JANUARY 16: Jacob Evans #1 of the Cincinnati Bearcats plays defense on an inbound during a NCAA basketball game against the UCF Knights at the CFE Arena on January 16, 2018 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Alex Menendez/Getty Images) /

The New York Knicks need to improve the perimeter with defense, athleticism, and three-point shooting. These 2018 NBA Draft prospects could help.


It’s been stated ad nauseam for upwards of a month: The New York Knicks are in the market for an athletic wing. New York has talent at four of the five positions, but its lack of a true small forward, ineffective three-point shooting, and porous perimeter defense have created vital needs.

Thankfully for Scott Perry and the Knicks, the 2018 NBA Draft appears to feature a number of two-way wings who could fill out the roster and address that critical flaw.

The Knicks could conceivably move forward with a backcourt combination of Emmanuel Mudiay and Frank Ntilikina. In that scenario, it would keep Tim Hardaway Jr. at small forward, where he’s played relatively well in 2017-18.

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Even if that were to transpire, the Knicks should be looking to acquire perimeter depth in the first and second round of the 2018 NBA Draft.

Utilizing a top-10 draft pick for the purpose of acquiring depth would be irrational, but it’s within the realm of possibility that New York could make a move. That could mean drafting a full-time starter in the lottery, adding another pick near the end of the first round, or simply valuing the second-round draft picks it currently possesses.

The question is: Which 3-and-D wings who are eligible for the 2018 NBA Draft should the New York Knicks know before March Madness inevitably alters perceptions?