Knicks Land Two Top Shooters in Latest Mock Draft
The New York Knicks are fighting in the middle of a playoff series, but focus will soon shift to the NBA Draft, which takes place from June 26-27.
The NBA Draft order was finalized yesterday with the lottery, and the Atlanta Hawks are on the clock with the No. 1 pick. The Knicks' draft didn't change as they weren't a lottery team, but they hold consecutive selections at Nos. 24 and 25, while also holding a second-round pick at No. 38.
With their No. 24 pick, they selected Miami's Kyshawn George in ESPN's latest mock draft.
"Teams are all over the board on George, but his shooting, playmaking and feel at his size make him a potential name on the rise in the pre-draft process," ESPN writes. "He'd be a big upside swing for the Knicks, who have amassed talent nicely and can go several different ways with their picks. George is an interesting gamble, as it's easy to see the role he could fill in the NBA, but he'll need to make a big leap in several key areas -- particularly scoring in the paint."
With the following pick, the Knicks took Pittsburgh's Carlton Carrington.
"The Knicks have strong depth and versatility at nearly every position and can afford to take a couple of swings on long-term upside if they decide to keep one or both of their first-round picks," ESPN writes. "Carrington is one of the youngest players in this draft and will need time to gain strength and add experience before he's ready to play a real role in the NBA, but his positional size, dynamic perimeter shooting and strong basketball instincts make him someone a team in this range could bet on."
The Knicks are a playoff-bound team with little room in the rotation for rookies, so there's a chance New York could trade one, or even both, of their picks here. Plus, coach Tom Thibodeau is notorious for not playing rookies, so whoever the Knicks bring in from this draft will be considered a long-term project. Look for them to play with the G League in Westchester next season.
JEREMY BRENER
Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.