New York Knicks: How the top 2019 NBA Draft prospects fit

Jarrett Culver, Texas Tech

Age: 20
Height, Weight: 6-foot-6, 199 pounds
Slash Line: .486/.323/.704
Season Averages: 18.5 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 3.6 APG, 1.3 SPG, 0.4 BPG, 1.3 3PM

A way-too-early departure from the Big 12 Tournament ended more chances at watching Jarrett Culver play for Texas Tech, before the real March Madness begins later this month. However, his stock rose as the season neared its end — placing him as a potential top-10 pick in June.

Like the other draft prospects mentioned, Culver is long and has the NBA size. Questions exist in his name, but he can at least hold up as a typical shooting guard — for the most part.

A dip in three-point shooting hurt the sophomore, but it was in an expansive role sans Zhaire Smith and others. His usage rate also drove up to 31.2 percent as a result, which is an anomaly since he won’t replicate that in the NBA, unless star potential is reached.

With the New York Knicks, Culver can assume a lead role immediately, pending no big names sign via free agency; that seems difficult to believe, but Durant, Kyrie Irving and others can all re-sign with their incumbent teams or join another cap-friendly team.

This is part of the scoring needs the Knicks have, but he also groups into the Damyean Dotson–Allonzo Trier area. Both have no guarantees to stick beyond this season, so players off Dennis Smith Jr. or whoever handles point guard next year are still necessary.

Culver could become one of the team’s top scorers and even work as a sixth man off the bench, if the Knicks opt for Trier to start or if someone else takes shooting guard. Either way, this player fills a need around the fourth or fifth spot in the draft.