Knicks Draft: Pre-lottery mock of every possible New York pick

Knicks 2020 Mock Draft: 7th overall pick Deni Avdija

Pre-Lottery Odds: 29.8%

If the Knicks are looking for a playmaker and they don’t like the point guards remaining on the draft board by the 7th pick, they could call on Israeli forward Deni Avdija.

While he’s not a shot-maker, the 6-foot-9 forward can handle the ball like a guard and knows how to create opportunities for his teammates. He’s not a Luka Doncic level prospect, he has followed a similar path in playing against professional players from a very young age. He made his professional debut in the Israeli Premier League when he was only 16-years-old.

With the scouting season cut short due to the coronavirus pandemic, the question is whether NBA scouts have seen enough of his game to make an educated assessment. Knicks recent hire Walt Perrin, who is head of college scouting, admitted on a podcast that he didn’t have a chance to make international scouting trips this spring.

Teams will rely on video and previous legwork to decide if Avdija’s game translates to the NBA. But if everything comes together, he is a tantalizing prospect as someone who can excel at multiple positions and compete at a high-level under intense pressure despite his age.