Knicks Draft Three In Early 2023 Mock

The New York Knicks are set to be quite busy next spring after stockpiling picks over the offseason.

The 2022-23 NBA season may still be in its fledgling stages, but some recent efforts from the New York Knicks ... loser of four of their last five ... have likely caused some amongst the blue and orange fandom to already start thinking about next season. 

To that end, NBA draft analyst Jeff Goodman has posted an early mock on Stadium, one that features the Knicks (4-5) picking in their three currently projected slots at next summer's selection meeting. With the 13th pick, obtained from the Dallas Mavericks, Goodman has the Knicks taking Oregon center Kel'el Ware while another acquired pick, this one from Washington two choices later, features a Flyer at Madison Square Garden in the form of Dayton's DaRon Homes. The proceedings conclude with the very next pick, as the Knicks bring in another Duke alum to join RJ Barrett in Tyrese Proctor.

Of note, the Knicks literally reach for their first two selections, with Ware standing as a seven-foot freshman and Johnson clocking in a 6-10. Goodman seems particularly intrigued at the opening duo's shot-blocking abilities. 

"Ware is intriguing due to his length and upside," Goodman writes of Ware, who will make his Ducks debut on Monday night against Florida A&M in Eugene. "The Arkansas native can run the floor extremely well and also is a big-time shot-blocker. He’s raw on the offensive end and will need to put on weight to be able to consistently score in the post."

Goodman does hint at a bit of a project nature for the Knicks' first two selections. For example, he remarks that the sophomore Holmes is "still just starting to scratch the surface of what he can become" while outright labeling Ware a "potential guy." The Knicks' interior and blocking efforts are currently headlined by Mitchell Robinson (currently injured) and Isaiah Hartenstein, each of whom signed new contracts last offseason (the later coming from the Los Angeles Clippers). 

Proctor is likewise making his own collegiate debut on Monday against Jacksonville (7 p.m. ET, ACC Network). Goodman, however, gives a bit of an edge for his pre-Durham international endeavors. Holmes is the only one of the three early selections with any on-court collegiate experience, having earned the Atlantic 10's Rookie of the Year award last season, previously won by current Knicks representative and fellow Flyers alum Obi Toppin. Dayton tips off against Lindenwood on Monday (7 p.m. ET, ESPN+). 

The modern Knicks likewise return to action on Monday night on the road when they take on the Minnesota Timberwolves (9:15 p.m. ET, MSG). 

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Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags

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