Daily Knicks
Fansided

New York Knicks: Pros and Cons of trading for No. 1 pick in 2020 NBA Draft

By Maxwell Ogden

WOLLONGONG, AUSTRALIA - OCTOBER 06: LaMelo Ball of the Hawks takes the court during the match between the Illawarra Hawks and the Brisbane Bullets at WIN Sports & Entertainment Centre on October 06, 2019 in Wollongong, Australia. (Photo by Brook Mitchell/Getty Images)
WOLLONGONG, AUSTRALIA - OCTOBER 06: LaMelo Ball of the Hawks takes the court during the match between the Illawarra Hawks and the Brisbane Bullets at WIN Sports & Entertainment Centre on October 06, 2019 in Wollongong, Australia. (Photo by Brook Mitchell/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 6
Next
New York Knicks
New York Knicks option Obi Toppin #1 of the Dayton Flyers looks on during a game against the George Washington Colonials at UD Arena on March 7, 2020 in Dayton, Ohio. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /

Pro of Knicks trading for 1st Pick: Options

On the Pro front, let’s start with the obvious: With the No. 1 pick, a franchise can select any prospect in an entire draft class. That’s a unique position to be in, even if a general manager doesn’t necessarily believe there’s a franchise player to be found.

If there’s even one player in the entire class that a team believes can help it reach the next level, having the No. 1 pick means a guaranteed ability to select said prospect.

That’s an attractive opportunity for a New York Knicks team that has up-and-coming talent, but lacks a true identity. Even if it fails to identify a perennial All-Star, selecting a player who can proudly don the orange and blue for the next 10 years would be a win.

Even if they bottom out as a starting-level player who perfectly complements RJ Barrett and Mitchell Robinson, that would be an absolute win for the Knicks.

It’s also possible that New York has its eye on a specific prospect. In that case, acquiring the No. 1 pick would mean guaranteeing that said player will still be on the board when it’s the Knicks’ turn to select a prospect—again, an invaluable opportunity.

There’s more that goes into this than merely having options, but the most obvious reason to covet the No. 1 pick may be the best one: Being able to select anyone in the entire class.

Home/Knicks Draft