The New York Knicks can draft the best player while also finding the right fit to complement their young core.
After selecting a full-time head coach, the New York Knicks will set their attention on the 2020 NBA Draft. Leon Rose has assembled a front office of smart basketball minds to help him navigate an important draft in which the Knicks will make up to three selections.
How should the new front office approach the draft? Should they focus on the best player available or the best fit for their roster?
In talking to NBA draft expert Spencer Pearlman, he thinks a tiered approach helps teams do both.
"“I personally think [using tiers] is better than just a pure ranking system,” says Spencer Pearlman, scout extraordinaire and contributor for The Stepien. “When picking within a tier, you can select the player that best fits your team because, in theory, they’re all ranked the same.”"
This is how the Knicks should be thinking: best player available that also fits. And I’m not talking about positional fit, necessarily; I’m talking about fit within the organization/culture, the coach’s system, and with the cornerstones already on the roster.
Leon Rose should make that “cornerstone” aspect a priority. That’s what I believe this draft should be about: finding players who can complement and enhance their young cornerstone. (With all due respect to Mitchell Robinson and apologies to Frank Stans everywhere, you know who I’m talking about).
RJ Barrett showed this year that he has both the physical ability and mental makeup to be New York’s next big star. With a mismatched roster, multiple coaches, and in-season turmoil, he still produced what must be considered a successful rookie campaign. Now it’s time to push him to greater heights. Choosing the right coach is the first step, but acquiring players who can help maximize his effectiveness might be the most important step.
To that end, the Knicks’ draft should focus on choosing the BPAs that possess these three qualities:
- Plays Without the Ball – RJ’s shown potential as a ball-handling, playmaking wing. Having a big wing that can initiate offense is paramount in today’s NBA (and has been for a while now). So whether it’s shooting, slashing, or both, someone who can play off RJ and be effective without the ball is vital to helping him reach that potential.
- Plays Defense – The Knicks have young players with defensive upside, RJ included. The better defenders around RJ, the better RJ’s defense will be (Plus, more good defenders means less defensive responsibility on your scorers).
- Can Serve As a Secondary Playmaker – When RJ’s off the ball – spotting up in the corner, posting a smaller guard, filling a lane in transition – this player needs to be capable of making the right play (RJ’s percentages this year were…not good. This would help with that).
Let’s now take a look, with Spencer Pearlman helping us out, which prospects fit these qualities.
Knicks Draft Strategy: Deni Advija and Isaac Okoro
As a Knicks fan, the worst thing about the last twenty years of Knicks’ basketball (some brief glimmers aside) is that it’s a year-round suck. We don’t even get a break in the offseason. Every lottery just adds insult to injury. We sit and wait and trick ourselves into optimism when deep down we know the ping-pong balls will inevitably favor someone else. I mean, we haven’t had the first overall pick in thirty-five years; the Cavs got three IN FOUR YEARS!
But these days, I’m not stressing about the lottery. Why? Because there are plenty of guys in the 6-10 range that are solid options based on the above list of desired traits.
Let’s look at some of them, complete with professional analysis from Spencer Pearlman:
DENI ADVIJA – He’s been great since the Israeli season resumed. His abilities to convert RJ kickouts into points and get others easy shots are what Knicks’ fans should find most appealing.
"SPENCER SAYS: Not a movement shooter, but he should become a good C&S shooter and a smart relocation shooter. People will point to percentages, but he’s often a bailout option for his team. He’s an insanely hard worker (I’ve previously spoken with an Israeli League Coach who commented on that), his form is good, and he has awesome touch in the paint. Something else to keep in mind re: his effectiveness off-ball is his elite cutting – that’s another way to keep defenses spaced without shooting. Very smart defender. His best skill is his rotations to the paint, but the translation likely won’t be 1:1 because though he is a good athlete, he’s not elite and his measurements aren’t very good, either. Really good passer. Can run PnR in the halfcourt and hit all areas of the court. Quick decision-maker on ball and as a swing passer, and can make passes on the move."
ISAAC OKORO – I’ve seen him compared to Andre Iguodala, Caron Butler, and most salivating / ridiculous, Kawhi Leonard. Just imagine the defense: Frank, RJ, & Okoro with Mitch anchoring the paint. I know, I know … the shooting, but Kawhi couldn’t shoot at that age, either.
"SPENCER SAYS: I buy the shot long term and love the footwork both on C&S and off the bounce, so it’s mainly about getting reps down and tweaking his form. Doubt he’ll ever be a movement shooter, but C&S and minor relocations are possible if not likely. Awesome cutter, too, with great touch in the paint and strength to power through defenders on drives and finishes. Defensively he’s strong, quick, versatile, and super smart. He can effectively take guys out of the game similar to how Darrelle Revis would – obviously not to that extent, but still, he’s a really high-level defender. Another good passer. Auburn rarely used him as a creator, but when they did, he showed some really nice flashes hitting all areas of the court (including some with live action)."
Knicks Draft Strategy: Deni Advija and Isaac Okoro
TYRESE HALIBURTON – It seems people either love him or hate him, but he’s got the sort of all-around game that makes him a good fit. Jumper’s ugly but it goes in.
"SPENCER SAYS: Stationary shooter with some relocation C&S – not a pure movement shooter at all. I’m curious how the form will translate in the NBA because it’s highly unorthodox, but he has deep range and has hit it at a really high clip the last two years. Active on the offensive glass for a G – opportunistic with his follow-ups. Very smart defender off-ball, but needs to improve on-ball footwork. His lack of strength and high center of gravity makes me think teams will target him with basic PnRs to force switches. Can hit every pass and has great vision but if he can’t develop a pull-up jumper, some of that will be negated, especially in drop coverage where the big will dare him to shoot or attack the rim (another thing he doesn’t do often)."
COLE ANTHONY – Seems like an odd fit because of percentages and role at UNC, but when I see him catching-and-shooting, I can’t help but believe in his off-ball potential. I also love that, like RJ, he’s got a pedigree/support system that raises his floor.
"SPENCER SAYS: Good shooter on and off-ball, but he needs to work on his shot selection. Legit movement shooter with deep range. Not a great passer – appears to pre-determine pass/shoot before reading the defense. Does not make many elite reads, nor does he have elite passing traits, but he can make drive and kicks, dropoffs, etc. Defensively, he’s pretty much all flashes. He has to improve his focus and in the PnR at the point of attack, he must improve his footwork."
DEVIN VASSELL– I continue to believe this is high for a prototypical 3-and-D player, but he’s risen fast on mock draft boards and brings those first two needs at an elite level.
"SPENCER SAYS: Good shooter, but needs to up his volume and quicken his release to reach his full potential. Has the ability to attack closeouts for pull-ups, so if the defense closes too hot, he can make them pay. Not a great passer, but he’s not bad either – there could be some untapped potential there as a tertiary playmaker. Like Haliburton, he’s an elite team defender – from positioning, to tags/digs, rotations, and using his length for deflections or steals, he’s an awesome awesome team defender."
KIRA LEWIS – Imagine him pushing in transition, feeding RJ for a dunk. Now imagine him letting fly from deep off an RJ drive-and-kick. His combination of speed and shooting is something the Knicks haven’t had since…give me a minute, I’m thinking.
"SPENCER SAYS: Good shooter, has NBA range, and can shoot both off the bounce and on C&S. Had some movement flashes as well, which were really promising. When defenses close, he’ll make them pay because he can pull up (small sample size, but apparently it’s because he was told not to settle for midrange) and has shown really nice finishing ability in the paint (though he has to continue to get stronger). He doesn’t have great vision in terms of reads, but they’re not all basic ones either. He does a fantastic job leveraging his speed to collapse the defense, so even though he doesn’t have top-tier vision, he creates really good looks. Also has live action passes with either hand and can pass at full speed. Lewis has to get stronger, but he’s a better defender than given credit for. Solid at the point of attack, pretty smart off-ball, and uses his length well."
TYRESE MAXEY – He’s been mocked and big-boarded all over the place, but if you watched him this year, two things stand out: he gets after it defensively, and he steps up in big games.
"SPENCER SAYS: Percentages from 3 weren’t great, but Maxey has great touch in the paint and smooth form. Kentucky used him a lot off screens/movement this year and Maxey showed he knew how to read defenses to get the shot he wanted. Maxey’s efficiency should go up as he raises his form a bit (and stops shooting out), so the jumper isn’t as big an issue as percentages may indicate. Not a great passer – can make simple reads, but even as a secondary I’d question it a bit…you’d need a system or plays to make the looks/reads for him. Awesome defender. Similar to Okoro in that he has the athleticism, IQ, and strength (for his size, at least) and also how they’d just take guys out of the game. Sound technique all around and active in team defense."
The way the lottery/draft shakes out will dictate which, if any, makes sense. Again, the Knicks are in no position to ignore their big board to choose based solely on fit. If a highly-rated big falls, he must be considered. If they move into the Top 3 and have other players atop their list, they need to trust their scouting and prep.
But I’m kind of hoping it shakes out to where these are the options, because the Knicks already have some young talent that fans are excited about, and these are the best guys available to both grow with that talent and facilitate the growth of that talent.
"SPENCER SAYS: If these are the options, I’d lean towards Kira. After that, Okoro and Deni. But I’ve said this before on Twitter and in podcasts: if the Knicks land 6-10, the one I’m taking if available is Aleksej Pokuševski. Poku? Sigh. A conversation for another day."
Follow Spencer Pearlman on Twitter @SKPearlman and check out his work on TheStepien.com for more great draft content.