The Knicks finished the regular season with a 50-32 record and own two first-round picks in the upcoming 2024 NBA Draft, thanks to the Kristaps Porzingis trade with the Dallas Mavericks in 2019.
Team president Leon Rose will have plenty of options with the No. 24 pick (via Dallas), No. 25 pick, and No. 38 pick (via Utah) in the second round, as the Knicks look to continue building a championship-caliber roster. New York did not have a draft pick last season, but has had success selecting young talent outside of the lottery in recent years, including Miles McBride, Immanuel Quickley, Quentin Grimes, and Jericho Sims, among others.
The 2024 NBA Draft will be held over two days for the first time since the late 1980’s on Wednesday, June 26 and Thursday, June 27 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
With the NBA Draft Combine just wrapping up this past week, let’s take a look at who the experts think the Knicks could take in their latest mock drafts…
No. 24: Forward Pacome Dadiet (Ratiopharm, France)
Height: 6-foot-8
Weight: 210 pounds
Age: 18
There’s no chance in hell that Tom Thibodeau would give Dadiet minutes as a rookie. But that shouldn’t keep the Knicks from investing in future pieces. Dadiet could benefit from learning in New York’s system, which holds players accountable and rewards them only if they play focused, committed defense.
Shades of Michael Finley.
Skilled teenage Frenchman who displays raw go-to scoring upside.
No: 25: Center Zach Edey (Purdue)
Height: 7-foot-3
Weight: 306 pounds
Age: 22
Assuming the Knicks re-sign Isaiah Hartenstein, they’d still have Mitchell Robinson on the roster and wouldn’t really need a big. But Edey would provide immense size and interior scoring that would give them another style of big in the rotation.
Shades of Ivica Zubac.
Massive center with a skill set that has transformed him from a fringe draft prospect to a potential lottery pick.
Jonathan Wasserman, Bleacher Report
No: 24: SG/SF Kyshawn George (Miami)
Height: 6-foot-8
Weight: 205 pounds
Age: 20
The combination of 6’8″ size, 40.8 percent three-point shooting, ball-handling and passing skills create an archetype and intrigue that Kyshawn George may ride into the first round.
Zero explosion and a 46.7 two-point percentage does hint at some bust potential. It wouldn’t be surprising if he was advised to skip scrimmaging at the combine and continue to sell his fluidity and shot during workouts.
Pro comparison: Dalano Banton
No: 25: Forward Harrison Ingram (UNC)
Height: 6-foot-7
Weight: 235 pounds
Age: 21
Harrison Ingram could go in the first round to a team that sees an easy fit with shooting and passing skills for a connector.
Then again, he could also find himself still on the board in the 30s or 40s if teams are concerned about his weight, athleticism and the validity of this year’s 38.5 three-point percentage, considering he struggled through two seasons at Stanford and hasn’t broke 67.0 percent from the free-throw line.Pro comparison: Naji Marshall
No: 24: Center Zach Edey (Purdue)
Height: 7-foot-3
Weight: 306 pounds
Age: 22
As incredible as Edey was at Purdue over the past two years, he remains a divisive NBA prospect with what appears to be a pretty big range. He could go in the lottery or slip into the 20s. Either way, Edey would be a sensible option for the Knicks if he’s still available at this point in the draft considering they could be on the verge of losing Isaiah Hartenstein in free agency.
No: 25: SF Justin Edwards (Kentucky)
Height: 6-foot-8
Weight: 203 pounds
Age: 20
Edwards was the highest-ranked prospect in Kentucky’s top-ranked recruiting class but was largely disappointing all season. He finished sixth on the team in points, sixth on the team in scoring and averaged roughly as many turnovers as assists. Is he worth a flier at this point in the draft by a New York franchise with back-to-back picks? Sure. But Edwards did very little at UK to suggest he should be selected anywhere close to where most had him projected six months ago.
No: 24: Guard Jared McCain (Duke)
Height: 6-foot-3
Weight: 195 pounds
Age: 20
Jalen Brunson is clearly the franchise point guard, but McCain could come in and lead the second unit with his high IQ and how well he shoots from 3-point range. He is one of the most coachable players in this draft and has won at every level of his career, so bringing McCain in and playing behind Brunson could possibly turn into a one-two punch for the Knicks.
No: 25: SG/SF Kyshawn George (Miami)
Height: 6-foot-8
Weight: 205 pounds
Age: 20
George could really help himself during the pre-draft process, and it will be interesting to see if he elects to play in the 5-on-5 scrimmages during the NBA Draft Combine in Chicago. Teams love his size at 6-8 and his 3-point shooting potential, as he connected on 40.8% of his attempts from deep during his freshman year.
No: 24: Guard Tyler Kolek (Marquette)
Height: 6-foot-1
Weight: 195 pounds
Age: 23
Kolek was exploding onto the scene before suffering an oblique injury that held him out the Big East tournament. From Jan. 15 until Feb. 25, Marquette went 10-1 as Kolek averaged 16.9 points and 9.6 assists per game while shooting 48.6 percent from the field and 44 percent from 3. In total, Kolek rightfully won All-American honors on his way to 15.3 points and 7.7 assists per game.
Kolek is a crafty guard. I’m not convinced he can even dunk, but he knows exactly how to play off two feet and is an elite distributor in ball screens. He made a big leap as a shooter this past season, drilling 38.8 percent from 3 while looking much more confident pulling up when opportunities arise. Kolek must prove he has the foot speed to hold up on defense in the NBA, and he’ll need to prove he can create separation with the ball in his hands against better defenders. But any team looking for a backup guard could plug Kolek in early.
Indiana’s T.J. McConnell is a name that often comes up as a comparison for Kolek.
No: 25: Forward DaRon Holmes II (Dayton)
Height: 6-foot-10
Weight: 235 pounds
Age: 21
Holmes had an outstanding season at Dayton this past year, winning All-American honors by averaging 20.4 points, 8.5 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 2.1 blocks while hitting 54.4 percent from the field and 38.6 percent from 3. He a versatile big who has a lot of answers for what teams present him in ball screens. He can pick-and-pop, short roll to pass, short roll to finish himself or roll all the way to the rim to catch a lob. Defensively, he’s a good shot blocker on the interior and has flashed potential to stick with guards for a couple of slides on the perimeter.
The Knicks are another team seen league-wide as a potential trade partner, as coach Tom Thibodeau is not likely to want multiple first-round rookies on his team. Additionally, the Knicks have generally tried to add more assets for the future to create more potential avenues to complete trades involving future draft picks.
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