A number of rival executives don’t expect the Knicks to hang on to and use all three of their picks in the top 32 of this year’s draft, says Ian Begley of SNY.tv. New York currently controls the 19th, 21st and 32nd overall selections, but there’s an expectation that the team will be active on or before draft night rather than standing pat.
“I can’t see them carrying three rookies on the roster (next season),” a member of an opposing team told Begley.
As Begley and Marc Berman of the New York Post observe, the Knicks have been meeting at this week’s combine with a number of prospects who are projected to be drafted in the late lottery, including Florida State’s Scottie Barnes, Duke’s Jalen Johnson and UConn’s James Bouknight. That could be a hint that the club is mulling the possibility of packaging two or more of its picks in an effort to trade up in the draft.
Of course, as Bobby Marks of ESPN notes (via Twitter), it’s not uncommon for teams picking in the 20s to try to talk to lottery prospects at the combine, since they may not be able to get those players into their buildings for workouts later in the pre-draft process. As such, it’s probably presumptuous to read too much into a few interviews.
Still, Berman previously reported that there have been talks within the organization about the possibility of moving up, potentially into the 12-13 range. If the Knicks start bringing in some of those upper-level prospects for workouts in the coming weeks, that would be a stronger sign that the team is seriously considering consolidating some of its draft assets in a trade.
New York could also include one or more of its 2021 draft picks in a deal for a veteran player if the right opportunity arises. The club will have plenty of cap room once free agency begins, so trading a pick for a player would be a viable option without having to worry about matching salaries.
The Knicks also hold the No. 58 pick in this year’s draft, but that selection is unlikely to move the needle much as a sweetener in any trade. If New York keeps it, it could be used on a player who would sign a two-way contract.
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