3 Small Forwards the New York Knicks could look to draft in 2021

New York Knicks Draft: Sam Hauser

Hauser would be another safe pick, but a bit more of a fallback option if Kispert doesn’t fall to New York. From a pure shooting perspective, Hauser is just as talented as Kispert, has almost the exact body frame, and plays as poised as anyone in this draft. Last season Hauser averaged 16.0 points and 6.8 rebounds, coughing the ball up only 1.0 times per game.

It’s important to note how important filling the gap that is three-point shooting is this summer. If the New York Knicks want to build on this year’s playoff appearance, they’ll need to add a few more shooters to keep up with the rest of the NBA. Kispert is the top option for that in this year’s draft, but Hauser is a sleeper who still checks off that box for the Knicks.

Another reason why Hauser is a no-brainer: look at what he learned in college. Marquette has one of the best offenses in college basketball and Virginia’s defensive style is virtually unmatched. He’s had the best of both worlds in college basketball, so you’d have to think playing in both of those systems would make for a smooth transition to the NBA.

If Hauser is still on the board with the Knicks’ 58th overall pick, which should be the case, then it seems like a good move.