Knicks draft fringe help: Kris Murray
The Knicks do not have a draft pick in the upcoming draft after the Mavericks’ pick landed in the top ten, and they traded their pick to Portland as part of the Josh Hart trade. But given the amount of talent in this draft, and this front office’s success with late first-round picks, trading back into the draft may not be off the table.
And Iowa’s Kris Murray is just the kind of player the Knicks should target if they do. NBA Draft Room describes Murray as a player who “projects as a high-level three-point shooter” and a “versatile defender who relies on smarts and positioning rather than raw/tools athleticism.”
Knicks fans who have no love for either Randle or Obi Toppin could find something to appreciate about Murray.
Randle and Topin combined to shoot just 28% from three-point range on nearly ten attempts per game in the playoffs. While Murray is not a world-beater from deep, he did shoot 34.8% from three during his two seasons in college.
Randle and Toppin also have question marks on the defensive end, but that isn’t the case with Murray and his 2.2 stocks per game last season.
Mock drafts have Murray ranging from 19th to 24th, with an average around 21st. Toppin and a future second (a move that would save the Knicks just over four million dollars in salary next season) could potentially get the Knicks in that range.