New York Knicks: Five early options for the 2018 NBA Draft

The New York Knicks must determine their next course of action as the 2018 NBA Draft approaches. Here are five possible scenarios.

As the lottery balls align in a season that has seen many teams determine that losing is their path to eventual success, New York Knicks fans have little to be excited for until the 2018 NBA Draft.

While the pick the Knicks receive in the drafting order is still undetermined, it appears likely they will draft in either the eighth or ninth spot. Here are five possible options for the Knicks, and a breakdown as to why they would, or would not, be intelligent decisions.

While most certainly the flashiest of possible selections, Trae Young‘s floor appears lower than other comparable prospects. Knicks fans would be pained to see the next Stephen Curry slip by the team, yet the skepticism is high on his NBA potential after a disappointing finish to his freshman year at Oklahoma.

This pick would be greeted with immediate optimism, as well as endless jersey sales, yet will almost undoubtedly lead to fan disappointment if he doesn’t fulfill the lofty expectations.

Would I draft him? No.

Mikal Bridges, fresh off of a stellar season in which he helped his Villanova Wildcats win a second national title in three years, is an ideal pick for the Knicks. A forward who can play both sides of the floor, Bridges brings an impressive three-point jumper and the length to become an elite defender.

Slotting Bridges in a lineup with Frank Ntilikina and Kristaps Porzingis would be a nightmare for opposing offenses. If Bridges is available when the Knicks are on the clock, he’s a safe selection, as well as a prospect with a high ceiling as a 3-and-D player.

Would I draft him? Absolutely.

Collin Sexton represents another option in the carousel that is the Knicks’ point guard position. Sexton has flashed the potential of a future star in his lone season at Alabama, once scoring 40 points in a game that, at one point, required Sexton and just two of his teammates to play 3 on 5 against Minnesota.

Sexton may be a viable option to run the 1 for a team desperate for just that, yet his inconsistency makes me cautious to declare him a solution at a spot that hasn’t seen a reliable player since Raymond Felton.

Would I draft him? I guess so…

Wendell Carter Jr. doesn’t possess the name or the game necessary to excite Knicks fans with the call of his name come draft night. Yet, Carter may be a compatible big man to pair with Kristaps Porzingis.

He displayed advanced rebounding and post scoring skills during his freshman year at Duke, and his size and strength in the frontcourt bode well for the long-term health of Porzingis.

Carter is capable of playing the traditional big man role with a modern touch, as he has the body to run in transition, as well as a post up game beneath the rim. For the Knicks, Carter may prove to be a more athletic Enes Kanter.

Would I draft him? Yes, if Enes Kanter plans to test free agency.

At this point, it should be quite clear which prospect I feel the Knicks should select. Mikal Bridges reminds of a smaller Kevin Durant, and achieving half of what Durant has would be a major value from the eighth or ninth selection.

However, there’s one more option that has recently gained steam that’s at least worth considering.

Kawhi Leonard has been rumored to be in a longstanding disconnect with the Spurs organization. He could represent a trade target for the Knicks, as well as many other teams.

A package centered around Ntilikina and two of the Knicks’ first-round draft picks could be a solid base for a potential deal. I provided an example of a trade that would at the very least be considered by both parties depending on the true availability of Leonard.

While the idea of dealing the Knicks’ future, in the form of a young talent and two first-round selections appears daunting for a team that has been robbed of hope for so long, the pairing of Leonard and Porzingis would be the type of foundation on which titles are built.

The extent of both Leonard’s injury, as well as his falling out with the Spurs organization, is yet to be determined, making this trade farfetched at this point.

This is still something to keep an eye on as a possible bidding war could break out if the Spurs star is officially made available, and the Knicks have the pieces to construct an enticing offer.

So, What’s The Move?

If the Kawhi Leonard situation progresses in a direction towards which the Knicks have a chance to acquire him for anything short of Kristaps Porzingis, the team should jump at their chance to return to relevance.

The odds that a player with Leonard’s impact will be available at the eighth or ninth pick in the draft is doubtful. Furthermore, Ntilikina has yet to show significant signs of eventual offensive development.

If Leonard is off the table, Mikal Bridges is my No. 1 draft target. A fallback, in the event he is drafted before the Knicks are selecting, is drafting a high-ceiling big such as the previously discussed Wendell Carter or Texas A&M center Robert Williams.

Luckily for the Knicks, this draft class looks to be a deep one, with valuable contributors throughout the first round. The key for the team in the process of cashing in their pick, either by trade or draft, is to measure an opportunity with the potential it possesses for success, as opposed to the potential for hype and excitement.

Must Read: 2018 NBA Mock Draft: Full first round following the National Championship Game

New York Knicks fans have been consumed by the hype for far too long. This city needs a winner.