Amid the NBA playoffs the NBA Lottery draft for the non-playoff bound teams took place and with it the NBA draft order has now been determined. For the lottery teams this year's draft marks hope and optimism as he talent pool here is deemed to be considerably better than it has been in the past few years; mind you it seems like the draft pundits say this same thing every single season.
Nonetheless, the teams who are holding lottery bound picks must be looking at ways to complement their rosters, be it by using the upcoming selection or via a trade on draft day. Not every team with lottery selections are able to address their needs via the draft as there is only so much talent available at each position and since these rookie deals are guaranteed, the new incoming salary amounts must be accounted for within the team's salary cap.
As the NBA Draft approaches eDraft.com will look at each of the lottery teams and identify their needs heading into the draft as well as who might be available to fill hose teams needs. Our draft coverage won't stop there though as post-draft we will have analysis of the picks as well as report cards for each of the teams as to how they fared.
We have now covered off the top three draft slots and now focus in on the New York Knicks who currently hold the fourth overall selection. General Manager Phil Jackson has already announced the Knicks willingness to deal his pick should the right offer come along and one has to truly belief this is a real possibility as the Knicks, like the Los Angeles Lakers, don't rebuild they simply look to reload.
The Knicks are expected to go hard after Marc Gasol in hopes of luring the versatile big man out of Memphis. Most pundits agree that this is an unlikely scenario and that the Knicks will have to overpay for another option here. Jackson will look to guys like Rajon Rondo, LaMarcus Aldridge and perhaps the most likely target in Greg Monroe as free-agent targets.
Key Pieces to Build Around:
The Knicks are completely pot-committed to Carmelo Anthony moving forward here. The Knicks took precautionary measures last season to avoid further injuries to their superstar by shutting him down early in order to protect their lottery spot and Carmelo's long term health. With Carmelo in the fold, Phil Jackson calling the shots and with Derek Fisher manning the sidelines it is safe to assume that the triangle offense will once again be utilized heavily.
Anthony is not a typical triangle offense type player as he has a tendency to monopolize the ball. Thus single factor alone isn't the only hurdle here for the Knicks; what is more troubling is their complete lack of a dependable center that can pass and score from the high post.
In addition to Carmelo, the Knicks have some young and equally inexpensive players who are showing some real potential. Langston Galloway and Tim Hardaway Jr. are probably as untouchable right now as Carmelo is given that both guys played pretty well in spurts last season. Galloway might just be a serviceable point guard in the making as he proved himself on occasions as being ready to handle a full time workload.
State of the Union - Knicks
The Knicks will not be a patient team moving forward here. They want and need another impact player to team up with Anthony in order to be considered potential contenders coming out of the East. The Knicks have money to spend this offseason and they will want to do their best to secure a top-tier talent and yet still be mindful of the bounty of free agents hitting the market next season. If the Knicks could possibly move on from Jose Calderon and his ridiculous contract then they would be in excellent shape to reload and overhaul this roster in very short order.
Phil Jackson will not wish to ride out his tenure in the Big Apple by visiting the draft lottery every season. The pressure to win now and always in New York is constant and Jackson will be heavily scrutinized should this off season not bring significant talent upgrades to the Knicks.
Draft Needs:
Should the Knicks decide to keep and use this pick they will likely be looking for interior help in the form of a mobile center who can play away from the basket and make good decision with the basketball. Should Minnesota go to form and draft a big man first overall, followed by Los Angeles and Philadelphia going small, then that stands to reason that there is the possibility that Jahlil Okafor could be had here at the four spot.
If Okafor is off the board along with Karl-Anthony Towns then the Knicks could look to deal this pick in hopes of sliding back a couple spots and still being able to grab a versatile player like Kentucky’s Willie Cauley-Stein who is certainly capable of stretching defenses with his perimeter game. Cauley-Stein could very well be the player that the Knicks are targeting right from the start as he is the best fit for their triangle offense. The Knicks will certainly kick the tires on D’Angelo Russell as well as top ranked International product in Mario Hezonja. Once it is all said and done though the Knicks best fit is Cauley-Stein and that is who they will take here.