Knicks Land Two Prospects in Latest Mock Draft

The New York Knicks still have an eye on the future in next year's NBA Draft.

Mar 21, 2024; Charlotte, NC, USA; Texas Longhorns guard Ithiel Horton (9) defends Colorado State Rams guard Nique Clifford (10) in the first round of the 2024 NCAA Tournament at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports / Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

The New York Knicks are one of the top contenders in the Eastern Conference next season, but there are still scouts in the organization with an eye on next year's draft class.

There are also draft analysts predicting what the future may hold, including CBS Sports writer Kyle Boone, who has the Knicks taking North Carolina incoming freshman Drake Powell with the No. 19 overall pick, which New York acquired in a hypothetical trade with the Milwaukee Bucks.

"Powell was a tough eval for me -- his high school team played lots of zone defense and his shot-taking burden consisted of having the greenest of lights -- but the physical tools and shooting skills are in place for him to build upon. He loves playing isolation basketball and needs to grow as a passer. His freshman year at UNC will be key for him as he is asked to play a more team-friendly brand of ball with the Tar Heels and Hubert Davis," Boone writes.

Powell still needs to step on an NCAA court, but if the McDonald's All-American impresses in college, he could move straight to the NBA after one year as a first-round pick.

The Knicks also were able to select Colorado State wing Nique Clifford with the No. 26 overall selection.

"This is a bit of a flag plant for me at No. 26. Clifford made the transition from Colorado to Colorado State last season look effortless in becoming an All-Mountain West performer. He has a great frame, an improved shot and a role-player profile -- he was in the 97th percentile as a spot-up shooter last season -- that suggests he could be a 3-and-D type at the NBA level," Boone writes.

Like Powell, Clifford needs a strong year at the college level, but he has some NBA promise with his 6-5 frame and his 37.6 percent clip from distance.

The Knicks scouting department likely isn't going super in-depth with their prospect analysis, especially considering the fact that they may not even have a first-round pick in the draft, but they will play things conservatively and look at players like these two sometime in the next couple of months.

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