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New York Knicks: Top 10 2018 NBA Draft targets as of March 1

By Maxwell Ogden

EAST LANSING, MI - FEBRUARY 20: Miles Bridges #22 carries the Big Ten regular-season championship trophy after the Spartan defeated the Illinois Fighting Illini at Breslin Center on February 20, 2018 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images)
EAST LANSING, MI - FEBRUARY 20: Miles Bridges #22 carries the Big Ten regular-season championship trophy after the Spartan defeated the Illinois Fighting Illini at Breslin Center on February 20, 2018 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images) /
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NORMAN, OK – FEBRUARY 17: Trae Young #11 of the Oklahoma Sooners warms up before the game against the Texas Longhorns at Lloyd Noble Center on February 24, 2018 in Norman, Oklahoma. The Longhorns defeated the Sooners 77-66. (Photo by Brett Deering/Getty Images)
NORMAN, OK – FEBRUARY 17: Trae Young #11 of the Oklahoma Sooners warms up before the game against the Texas Longhorns at Lloyd Noble Center on February 24, 2018 in Norman, Oklahoma. The Longhorns defeated the Sooners 77-66. (Photo by Brett Deering/Getty Images) /

Projection: Top 10
Age: 19 (9/19/1998)
Height, Weight, Wingspan: 6’2″, 180 pounds, 6’4″
Slash Line: .429/.367/.857
Season Averages: 35.3 MPG, 28.0 PPG, 9.0 APG, 3.9 RPG, 1.7 SPG, 3.8 3PM

If the New York Knicks determine that the point guard of the future isn’t currently on the roster, there would be nothing wrong with selecting one here. That much was established with Collin Sexton, and the point is driven further home with Trae Young.

The comparisons to Stephen Curry are based solely on the way he shoots, but that doesn’t mean Young can’t one day join the two-time MVP in the All-Star Game.

Young is a dynamic scoring threat who can shoot from anywhere on the court and finish amongst the trees. His efficiency has declined, but Oklahoma’s Young-or-bust mentality was destined to fail it at some point this season.

As far as the 2018 NBA Draft is concerned, what must be evaluated are Young’s strengths and weaknesses—not his statistics nor his team’s position in the rankings.

Even if his scoring decline concerns you, what makes Young so intriguing is that he has the ability to pass his teammates open. He plays the angles as a facilitator, leading his targets to their spots instead of waiting for them to get there.

That can result in high turnover totals, but in an NBA environment with better talent around him, Young could provide the Knicks with elite contributions as both a shooter and a facilitator.

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