3 Shooting Guards The New York Knicks Could Look to Draft in 2021

The New York Knicks may have plenty of off-guards already, but it never hurts to re-load if a draft fit makes perfect sense.

It’s also never too early to talk about the NBA Draft, even if the New York Knicks are in the playoff picture. With three picks in this years’ draft and a crew of good shooting guards to choose from, New York could end up with one on July 29.

Admittedly, the SG position probably isn’t at the top of needs for New York heading into next season. Reggie Bullock, Immanuel Quickley, and Alec Burks have all contributed, and R.J. Barrett can play either the 2 or 3 spots.

But an upgrade wouldn’t be the worst thing either. If the Knicks see Barrett fit best as a small forward long term, Quickley is the only shooting guard with a lot of potential. Bullock and Burks are good veterans but aren’t the long-term answers.

In this year’s NBA Draft, there are numerous shooting guards who can be starters for a long time. I see these three as the best fits with the New York Knicks.

Knicks Draft: James Bouknight, UConn

Why not go with a New York guy? The Brooklyn native bleeds New York and has the same type of swagger and style of play that would go well with the Knicks.

Bouknight is a professional scorer who would compliment Julius Randle and Barrett well. He has finesse around the bucket and can create separation for his jump shot, which he can hit on virtually any place on the court.

One small con against Bouknight is his defense. While he has the size at 6-foot-5 and 190 pounds, he doesn’t always come to play on the defensive side of the ball that he does on offense. But there is always potential to improve in that aspect and his scoring ability can’t be overlooked.

Knicks Draft: Josh Christopher, Arizona State

Christopher is a one-and-done with tons of athleticism and the strength and size to potentially guard some small forwards at the next level.

At Arizona State, Christopher didn’t get to shine as much as other stars, because the Sun Devils were loaded with talent – although it didn’t exactly show in the win-loss category.

Either way, Christopher could help the New York Knicks in a few ways. He has the potential to be a good scorer in the Association and rebounds well. His outside shot needs some work, but Christopher is a defensive-stopper, averaging 1.5 steals per game.

If the New York Knicks do decide to go with Christopher, he’d be a solid pick that has a lot of upside.

3. Quentin Grimes, Houston

Grimes would be the perfect second-round pick for the New York Knicks who hold two in this year’s draft.

As a junior, Grimes’ value has certainly faded, but there’s not much he doesn’t check off on the box score or intangibles.

The 6-foot-5 guard averaged 17.8 points per game and 5.7 rebounds this past season at Houston. These were both upticks from his sophomore campaign, after playing his freshman year at Kansas.

As far as fitting in with the Knicks, I can’t see any reason why he wouldn’t. Grimes’ mindset starts with defense, where he averaged 1.4 pilfers in 2021. He doesn’t turn the ball over and makes plays, all while serving as the go-to guy for the Cougars.

He won’t be a lottery pick and might not get a lot of love, but as Immanuel Quickley has turned into an awesome late-round pick, Quentin Grimes could make it two years in a row for New York.