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

The Atlanta Hawks could have not one but two picks in the 2019 NBA Draft. This stems via draft night in 2018, when the Dallas Mavericks traded up two spots for Luka Doncic, leaving the Hawks with a protected (top five) 2019 first-round pick. In this scenario, it conveys.

With Duke’s Cam Reddish added to the middle of the lineup, this selection can go towards the frontcourt where the Hawks don’t have a long-term man in the middle. Charles Bassey, at this point, is the best big man available.

Basketball fans may not be as familiar with Bassey, who plays at Western Kentucky, but he entered the 2018-19 season as one of the highest-regarded big men. Standing 6-foot-10, so far, he’s lived up to the hype, at 14.9 points, 10.0 rebounds and 2.4 blocks per game.

This is the center to anchor a team with Reddish, Trae Young and Kevin Huerter on the outside. Suddenly, it’s an interesting core that could stick for the next five years and become interesting in short order.

Bassey is still raw, as NBADraft.net notes. There’s a long way to go in his development, but there’s enough to like as a rim-protector or an agile big next to a taller player.

It’s a luxury pick for Atlanta in this draft. Two top-ten picks will push forward their rebuild and make them one of this conference’s most interesting teams, something the New York Knicks will face for years to come.