Could the New York Knicks look to New Zealand for their 2020 first round pick?
The New York Knicks are reportedly intrigued by combo guard RJ Hampton as a possible draft pick in the 6-10 range of the 2020 draft, according the Marc Berman of the New York Post.
Hampton spent last season playing for the New Zealand Breakers of the National Basketball League (NBL), rather than attend college in the states, where he was heavily recruited as a five-star recruit out of high school. While perhaps not his best position when transitioning to the NBA, he played point guard in New Zealand.
The Knicks have several point guards on their roster, but none that appear to be in the long-term plans of the current management group. Dennis Smith Jr. has sputtered since arriving in the trade that sent Kristaps Porzingis to Dallas; Elfrid Payton showed promise last season, but is better served in a back-up role; and Frank Ntilikina has failed to build upon his elite defensive skills to become a legitimate starting point guard.
Hampton was pursued by Leon Rose as a client for Creative Artists Agency (CAA), according to the Post report, so there are obvious connections to the Knicks with Rose now the team president.
The Dallas native averaged 8.8 points, 2.4 assists, and 3.8 rebounds on 40 percent shooting while playing professional ball as a 19-year-old on the other side of the planet.
Hampton is an athletic combo guard who is capable of running a pick-and-roll offense, but still needs a lot of work to refine his game. At 6-foot-5, he can use his size to his advantage against smaller guards, but he needs to improve his shooting and strength in developing his game for the NBA stage. There are also significant concerns about his defensive ability.
In many mock drafts, Hampton lands toward the middle of the first round. However, this draft might be the most challenging to handicap since the scouting season was cut short due to the novel coronavirus.
The Knicks are slotted to have the 6th slot in the lottery, if the season ever resumes. They would have a 37.2 percent chance of landing in the top four picks in the 2020 draft.