New York Knicks: 2019 NBA Mock Draft, All-Star break edition

Duke Zion Williamson (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
Duke Zion Williamson (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) /
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Kentucky Keldon Johnson (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
Kentucky Keldon Johnson (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /

Kentucky. Keldon Johnson. 12. player. 86. . F

The Minnesota Timberwolves’ season devolved once Jimmy Butler fought his way out the door. Followed by Tom Thibodeau’s’ firing, it was a foregone conclusion for this franchise tumbling in 2018-19, after a year of promise that had them in competition for a top spot in the Western Conference at one point.

However, Minnesota finds itself in the lottery, again. Butler is gone. Andrew Wiggins continues to underwhelm as a former No. 1 pick. Karl-Anthony Towns is the only stable figure, with few other pieces holding value for the long term.

To rebuild the team around Towns, the Timberwolves can target the middle of their lineup. Keldon Johnson makes sense to join a group that includes Wiggins and Josh Okogie, providing lineup combinations for whoever the next head coach is.

Johnson is a long swingman that can play as a shooting guard or small forward. He’s shown consistent ability to knock down shots from all over the floor, including 41.4 percent from behind the arc.

Size and shooting should be enough to make Johnson a lottery pick. He’s a few slots lower than where the New York Knicks will probably pick, so it makes him out of their range, barring a trade on draft night.