NEW YORK — It feels like piling on Phil Jackson at this point, but we must when it comes to the NBA draft.
The Zen Master had three first- and second-round choices during his tenure, and he missed the following players — Nikola Jokic, Devin Booker, Donovan Mitchell, Bam Adebayo — by within nine picks.
Multiple GMs passed on those top talents, to be fair, but we bring these up to underscore a point ahead of Thursday’s NBA draft: contending teams are still built first with the draft, then with trades and free agency.
Look at the last three champions. The Nuggets drafted Jokic and Jamal Murray; the Warriors drafted Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green; the Bucks drafted Giannis Antetokounmpo.
None of those players were picked in the top-6. Three of them — Antetokounmpo, Jokic, Green — fell out of the lottery. So you have to be smart and lucky in the NBA. The best place for that combo is the draft.
The Knicks, unfortunately, don’t have a pick this year. At least not yet. But they own a boatload of picks in the future and a bevy of options Thursday.
We’ll lay it out below in a Knicks draft primer:
Why don’t they have any picks?
The Knicks traded their own first-rounder to the Blazers for Josh Hart in February. It has thus far worked out for the Knicks, who rode Hart’s energy to their first playoff series victory in a decade. Their second-round pick was dealt to the Hornets last year as part of the Kemba Walker salary dump. You could also argue that was a positive for the Knicks since they used the cap space to sign Jalen Brunson.
The Knicks had a chance at getting Dallas’s first-round pick — the final payment of the Kristaps Porzingis trade of 2019 – but it was top-10 protected and the Mavericks retained it.
Can the Knicks get into the draft?
Sure.
Buying second-round picks isn’t as common anymore but the Knicks have plenty of trade pieces to find a way into a selection. The most obvious chip is Obi Toppin, who hasn’t cracked the rotation and becomes extension-eligible this offseason.
An NBA GM placed Toppin’s value at a late first-round pick — whether this year or in the future — and the Pacers, who own the 26th and 29th picks this year, make some sense as a partner. But barring an overhaul, Tom Thibodeau’s rotation doesn’t have an obvious spot for a late first-rounder.
Of course, the bigger question is whether the Knicks will get involved in a bigger deal for an established star. That market is heating up.
Which stars?
Several are making the rumor rounds. Bradley Beal of the Wizards; Zach LaVine of the Bulls; Zion Williamson of the Pelicans; Karl-Anthony Towns of the Timberwolves; Dame Lillard of the Blazers.
They all present concerns and flaws, but each raises a team’s ceiling. The Knicks, who have stockpiled picks for a run at such a player, could also wait until a better fit presents itself. Team president Leon Rose has been patient during his tenure.
What can the Knicks offer?
Other than Jalen Brunson — who is presumably off the table — the Knicks don’t have mouth-watering pieces on their roster. They have tradeable players, but none that will carry a deal for a star.
Their persuasion is in their future first-round picks. And here they are laid out for the next six years:
— 2024 own first-round pick
— Mavericks pick (top-10 protected in 2024 and 2025; if it doesn’t convey by 2025, it becomes a second-round pick).
— Pistons pick (top-18 protected in 2024; top-13 protected in 2025; top-11 protected in 2026; top-9 protected in 2027; if it’s not conveyed by 2027, it becomes a second-round pick).
— Wizards pick (top-12 protected in 2024; top-10 protected in 2025; top-8 protected in 2026; if it doesn’t convey by 2026, it becomes a second-round pick).
— 2025 own first-round pick
— Bucks pick (top-4 protected in 2025; if it’s not conveyed by 2025, Knicks don’t get a pick).
— 2026 own first-round pick
— 2027 own first-round pick
— 2028 own first-round pick
— 2029 own first-round pick
