It’s the 18th straight draft lottery appearance in which the Knicks either stayed at their projected pick or moved back.
Alright, that’s not what the fan base wants to read on here, believe me, I know.
However, there is, believe it or not, reason to feel the Knicks will turn the No. 11 pick into a positive for their team’s immediate and long-term future.
Tuesday night, not even the man many better know as “World Wide Wes” could help elevate the chances of the Knicks moving up in this year’s draft lottery.
William Wesley, Knicks executive vice president, represented the team on the dais as NBA Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum let the viewing audience know where the ping-pong balls bounced for 14 teams.
The Orlando Magic secured the top overall selection, followed by the Oklahoma City at #2, and the Houston Rockets at #3.
For the Knicks, picking at No. 11 in next month’s NBA Draft doesn’t mean the fan base should hang their heads in disappointment.
Top prospects Chet Holmgren (Gonzaga), Jabari Smith (Auburn), and Paolo Banchero (Duke) will be long gone by the time the Knicks are on the clock. There will, however, be plenty of talented players available at No. 11 for New York, writes NBA insider Ian Begley of SNY:
“Various mock drafts prior to the lottery had the Knicks taking Dyson Daniels, a 6-foot-6 combo guard from the G League Elite (ESPN), Jeremy Sochan, a wing from Baylor (The Ringer), and Johnny Davis, a shooting guard from Wisconsin (Bleacher Report).”
For the casual Knicks fan reading this, those names may or may not be familiar to you. And, that’s okay.
Before last season, did you know who Quentin Grimes (No. 25, 2021) was? How about Miles McBride (No. 36, 2021)? Or Jericho Sims (No. 58, 2021)?
How good were you feeling about those picks, a year after the Knicks selected Obi Toppin (No. 8 in 2020), Immanuel Quickley (No. 25 in 2020)?
These are all youngsters with high upside and potential to have impactful NBA careers.
You have to admit, under team President Leon Rose, the Knicks have drafted well, regardless of their position on the board. They’ve earned the opportunity to impress us again with a potential diamond in the rough.
Moreover, as multiple reports have indicated, there’s always the possibility of the Knicks packaging the No. 11 pick as part of a potential trade.
What we’ve seen since Rose took over day-to-day operations is a strategic approach to build through the draft while creating enough flexibility to pull the trigger on a major deal. Try this on for optimism — this is a management group with an actual plan.
“Absolutely, we have to stick to the plan, we have to build one block at a time, be patient,’’ Rose said last month. “We feel like we’re set up really well. We’ve got 13 draft picks over the next three drafts, four first-round picks. With regard to opportunities that may come along, we’re very flexible. We want to show patience, we want to show prudence in making those decisions and continuing to develop what we have.”
The 2022 NBA Draft, presented by State Farm, will be held on Thursday, June 23, at Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
Anthony Rushing is on Twitter @TonyRushingNY
Baseline Sports NY is on Twitter @Baseline_NY
