The New York Knicks are heading towards the lottery again. Last year the Knicks struck gold with Duke’s RJ Barrett, but this time around they should be targeting a PG from UNC.
In another lottery bound season for the New York Knicks, all eyes are on June’s NBA Draft. New York has a lack of talent across the board, but particularly at the point guard position. The Knicks desperately need a complement to RJ Barrett in the backcourt.
In this years relatively weak draft class, there are several guards that the Knicks should do their due diligence on. At the 2020 NBA Draft however, the New York Knicks’ selection should be UNC’s Cole Anthony.
Anthony, who is the son of former Knicks point guard Greg Anthony, has had an up and down freshman season for the Tar Heels. Cole Anthony may be averaging 20 points a game but it comes on 36% shooting from the field and 32% from three.
This season UNC has failed to perform under pressure in big games, but Cole Anthony’s supporting cast is not as talented as some other top prospects. Anthony’s stock has also slipped due to the rise of prospects such as Anthony Edwards, Tyrese Haliburton, and LaMelo Ball.
There are several reasons why Cole Anthony needs to be suiting up for the New York Knicks next season. One of the biggest reasons being his fit next to incumbent starter RJ Barrett.
Anthony’s slick handles and quickness would mesh extremely well with the more isolation oriented Barrett. A backcourt of Cole Anthony and RJ Barrett throwing lobs to Mitchell Robinson would be an unstoppable force for years to come.
Secondly, if the Knicks land a top 5 pick, they can trade back and obtain another asset. This was a massive success for the Atlanta Hawks in 2018, when they had the third overall pick and traded back two slots to select Trae Young and pick up and additional first rounder.
In this stage of the Knicks rebuild, draft capital is of the utmost importance. Throughout all the trade buzz the New York’s refused to part with a first round pick . If the Knicks can get a talent like Anthony on their hands while picking up another pick, that would be a massive success.
Another critical factor in the Knicks thinking on draft night should be Anthony’s inner circle of trust, particularly his father, Greg. Greg Anthony played on the rough-rider Knicks teams of the 90’s, and knows what it takes to win in New York. Having a presence like that, along with UNC coach Roy Williams, would likely lead to a massively successful career in New York.