NY Knicks Draft: A Scout and non-believer talk 2nd round sleepers

NY Knicks: Which late-round prospects stand out?

"You have a few sleepers you like in this draft, but one that stood out to me was Aaron Henry.  Haven’t heard much about him in the pre-draft process but then was shocked to see him at 20 on Jonathan Wasserman’s big board. What does Henry bring that most people are missing, and why might he be a good fit for the Knicks in the 2nd round?"

SZ: I don’t know that people are missing anything. Henry’s athleticism is very evident on film, and his steal and block numbers speak for themselves. I think the gap in perception is the confidence or lack thereof in his shooting. I wouldn’t say I even have the utmost confidence that Henry will shoot well enough to get on and stay on the floor. The case for Henry is that IF he shoots well enough, the rest of the package (strong defense and simple, peripheral playmaking) is an appealing proposition by the mid-20s in the Draft. 

With the gritty way Henry plays defense, it would not be difficult to see Coach Thibodeau find appreciation in it. More specifically, Henry would apply much better point-of-attack pressure than what any of the Knicks’ individual guards were able to do this past season. Offensively, Henry would need to be a legitimate floor spacer to have any sort of fit on the court. Otherwise, it would be tough to hold one of the guard spots and not provide breathing room for RJ and Randle. 

"It’s no secret the Knicks need shooting. Why, in your view, should they consider perimeter players that aren’t shooters by reputation? Why would a Raiquan Gray or a Herb Jones make sense for the Knicks later in the draft despite the lack of shooting (or do you project them to develop in that area)?"

SZ: You’re right – Raiquan Gray and Herb Jones will not scare anyone if they catch the ball wide open on the perimeter. However, they only need to hit enough open looks to garner some respect. After that, like Henry, their ancillary skills really begin to compound into a quality rotation player or even a low-end starter, which any team would be thrilled to get in the second round. 

My Draft philosophy has typically drawn me to these types of players, especially by the time Mark Tatum steps up to the podium. Second-rounders that truly hit are far and few between, and these players who meet athletic thresholds, defend multiple positions, and can do more than solely shoot are propositions I’d like to invest in. Obviously, they’ll need to hit shots at some point, but that is a can I tend to kick down the road.

"My timeline is split on whether or not the Knicks should draft a center. They made their run last year with Nerlens Noel (cheap one-year deal) and Taj Gibson (sitting at home to start the season), which seems like an approach that can be duplicated, and now Mitch is fully healthy, too. Why is Sandro Mamukelashvili worth a pick instead of Leon simply waiting around for undrafted bigs or vets in free agency?"

SZ: Sandro Mamukelashvili is more than a center; he’s a basketball player. At his size, he brings a very unique skill set that I don’t think can be found anywhere else in the Draft after lottery talents like Jalen Johnson and Kai Jones. Offensively, I think Mamu could grow into a player that can be deployed in a multitude of ways, adding all sorts of wrinkles to an offense. On top of that, I’d imagine putting Mamu alongside NBA talent would produce highly-entertaining improvisational playmaking in transition or against disorganized defenses. He’s creative while playing within himself, and I think he has a chance to be different in a special way.

Defensively, Mamu might not be a center. Rim protection was never really a staple of his game, and Seton Hall usually had him playing next to a more traditional shot-blocker. Like any 6’11 person, Mamu had and will continue to have some problems defending guards, but I don’t think his movement skills are dreadful. He has pretty quick feet as is, and working on lowering his stance could help him survive in small pinches. Otherwise, I thought his off-ball defense was perceptive. I could see him fitting decently into the frontcourt with the rest of the Knicks’ defensive infrastructure. 

"BONUS QUESTION: Give us an example of what you think would be an A draft for the Knicks. (You can package picks or use all four)."

SZ: This one’s tough to answer outside of a Mock Draft-like context. I think the Knicks should still be focusing heavily on talent acquisition. I have Springer and Ziaire very high on my personal board, and they seem likely to be available at that 20-ish range. Trading #32 to move up to secure one of those players would be acceptable. Getting both of those players would be an A in my eyes.

(Note: Ziaire Williams has received one of 20 Green Room invites, which is based on intel collected from general managers across the league. This suggests there’s a good chance he’s NOT available when the Knicks pick at 19.)

Outside of that, New York is one of the few landing spots for Sharife Cooper that I like. He’s a player that could have an immediate impact for a Knicks’ offense that struggled in the playoffs. Sharife would be well-suited to organize and assist them in getting more quality looks at the basket.

At #58, I think it’d be smart to just select the best shooter left, because that shooter’s agent will be getting calls the moment the draft ends. Beat the competition to it with a pick that rarely pans out anyway.