2017-18 (29-53)
Drafted: Frank Ntilikina (7)
Available: Dennis Smith Jr (8), Malik Monk (11), Luke Kennard (12), Donovan Mitchell (13), Bam Adebayo (14), John Collins (19), Jarrett Allen (22), OG Anunoby (23), Kyle Kuzma (27), Josh Hart (30).
With Kristaps Porzingis, Willy Hernangomez, Enes Kanter, Joakim Noah, and even Kyle O’Quinn, I don’t see the Knicks taking another frontcourt player. With the seventh pick of the 2017 NBA Draft, the Knicks select… Donovan Mitchell from the University of Louisville
Starting line-up:
PG: Donovan Mitchell
SG: Courtney Lee
SF: Tim Hardaway Jr.
PF: Kristaps Porzingis
C: Enes Kanter
New York finishes 35-46. There are too many offensive mouths to feed and Jeff Hornacek can’t utilize Mitchell at the point guard position.
2018-19 (17-65)
Drafted: Kevin Knox (9)
Available: Mikal Bridges (10), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (11), Miles Bridges (12), Michael Porter Jr. (14), Donte DiVincenzo (17), Kevin Huerter (19).
Last year’s Mitchell point guard experiment didn’t work out, so the Knicks will take a point guard. With the ninth pick of the 2018 NBA Draft, New York selects…Shai Gilgeous-Alexander from the University of Kentucky. Porzingis still tears his ACL and the trade still goes through in January.
Starting line-up:
PG: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
SG: Donovan Mitchell
SF: Mario Hezonja
PF: Noah Vonleh
C: Mitchell Robinson
Knicks finish 21-60 due to Mitchell willing this team into additional wins. Cleveland finishes below New York and the Knicks end up with the fifth pick in the following draft.