The New York Knicks are currently in possession of the ninth-best lottery odds in the 2018 NBA Draft. Who are New York’s top options as of March 1?
With the arrival of March comes the introduction of NBA Draft season for the franchises that aren’t thinking playoffs. It’s an unfortunately reality, but for a team like the New York Knicks, the annual selection process should provide a new reason for excitement.
Thankfully for the Knicks, the opportunity for clarity coincides with this unique chance to create a brighter future for the organization as a whole.
To be clear, this isn’t a pure ranking of the top 10 prospects in the 2018 NBA Draft. Instead, the purpose is to list the best players for the Knicks—a process that values factors such as fit, need, and realistic availability.
That means players such as Deandre Ayton, Marvin Bagley III, Mohamed Bamba, and Luka Doncic are committed as prospects who are highly unlikely to be available at No. 9 overall.
Clearly, the 2018 NBA Draft Lottery could change where the Knicks pick. Based on where New York currently is in the standings, however, it’s only rationally to evaluate the prospects who would be realistically available to the organization.
The question is: Who are the top 10 realistic 2018 NBA Draft targets for the New York Knicks as of March 1, 2018?