Knicks Draft: Is Onyeka Okongwu the answer for New York?
By Ken Tavarez
Why the New York Knicks shouldn’t undervalue the top big men in the NBA Draft.
As the draft is quickly approaching, the New York Knicks have been linked to almost every player expected to go in the top 10, even the two centers, James Wiseman and Onyeka Okongwu. But those rumors haven’t been taken seriously since the New York’s most promising young player, Mitchell Robinson, plays the same position.
But for as much as I love Mitch, the Knicks can’t afford to leave any stone unturned. As mentioned in my finding the outliners article, New York needs to draft the best player available, regardless of position, especially if that player is clearly better than the other prospects available when it’s their turn to pick.
If the Knicks draft a center, they can then trade Robinson to acquire a point guard, outside shooter, or stretch 4. This scenario appears unlikely because Robinson is one of the few homegrown players the Knicks have had in the past 35 years.
However, it needs to be explored because history has shown us that most drafts produce less than a handful of All-Stars. Plus, there is going to be a bidding war among the championship caliber teams for an athletic big man.
Why would the Knicks entertain the idea of trading Mitchell Robinson to draft either a player like Onyeka Okongwu? Let’s discuss.