New York Knicks: Jay Williams questions Zion Williamson’s fit due to owner
From one Duke star to another, Jay Williams does not want the New York Knicks to land Zion Williamson in the 2019 NBA Draft.
The idea of Zion Williamson to the New York Knicks at first overall is tantalizing for fans and represents a potential return to glory for this city’s basketball. It is realistic, but not everyone is on board with it.
Duke legend and ESPN analyst Jay Williams questioned this potential alliance to TMZ, despite living in New York City, and attributed it to the owner:
“I live in New York City, so obviously everybody wants the answer to be New York,” Williams said. “But, I don’t know if I trust James Dolan enough with that yet.”
As an alternative, Williams praised the Atlanta Hawks as an option, and said a pairing with Trae Young would be “kind of dope.”
Obviously not the answer Knicks fans will want to hear, but it is also realistic for them to land something below first overall, given the measly 14-percent chance to win this selection and choose Williamson. 86 percent odds exist for the second-to-fifth picks.
Williams’ Hawks scenario only has a four percent smaller chance of happening. If so, Williamson does indeed join Young, Kevin Huerter and Omari Spellman, all of whom were first-round picks in 2018. Atlanta might have a second top-10 pick in 2019, as well, due to their trade-down with the Dallas Mavericks for Luka Doncic.
Williamson can realistically pair with one of his Duke teammates, Cam Reddish or RJ Barrett, or align with someone like Jarrett Culver, Rui Hachimura, Coby White or De’Andre Hunter, pending where Dallas’ pick lands.
Of course, that should not matter to Knicks fans, but other situations exist for Williamson’s NBA career. 13 other teams can attain the first overall pick and leave New York with someone else, and they are prepped for that.
The 18-year-old phenom, however, already supported the idea of playing 41 times at Madison Square Garden, when Duke played at The Mecca in a December game against Texas Tech.
Later, though, Williamson said he does not care who drafts him, which is reasonable for someone who’s yet not in the NBA and could cause a scene if he makes demands. Rookies have not forced their way to a team that high in the draft, but player power has increased, and the Knicks just saw that with Kristaps Porzingis‘ request out.
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New York Knicks fans will learn if Williamson aligns with them by May. Then anyone involved will have to trust Dolan and hope the team stays afloat and controversy-free. It may not seem easy, but a front office has helmed a clean look.