Just a week after crowning the Golden State Warriors as champions the league gears up for the next wave of stars. The NBA draft will be Thursday night in Brooklyn at the Barclays Center.
The top three prospects Auburn’s Jabari Smith, Gonzaga’s Chet Holmgren, and Duke’s Paolo Banchero are expected to be the first three selected and in that order.
The draft will get interesting when it comes down to the No. 4 pick by the Sacramento Kings. Teams have been reaching out to the Kings for a trade to get this pick. Indiana, Washington, New York, Oklahoma City, Atlanta, and others have reached out. A lot of teams like Jaden Ivey who is expected to be drafted here. The guard from Purdue is athletic, can create his own shot, and has a lot of the physical tools that are attractive to scouts in the NBA. If the Knicks could get a trade for this pick and get Ivey it will give them a guard they desperately need.
The Knicks have the No. 11 pick in this year’s draft. After making the playoffs the year before the Knicks are coming off a disappointing season. One of the positions they have to address is the point guard spot. Ivey would be good if they could pull off that trade. Another good trade they could do is with Indiana to get Malcolm Brogdon.
A veteran guard that can get the job done on both sides of the ball. If they decide to keep the pick they can draft a guard such as a Malaki Branham out of Ohio State. Branham has the size, length, and frame that translates well to the next level. His game is something to be excited about as well. He shot 44% off the dribble and 45% off catch and shoot.
Another good pick for the Knicks would be a center, with Mitchell Robinson as an unrestricted free agent this summer. Jalen Duren could fall in their lap and he would be hard to pass up. He is arguably the most physically big man in the draft. 6-10 250 pounds he has a ready-made body for the league. He would be a great rim runner, someone that can catch lobs and block shots on the other end. He has a lot of potential when it comes to skill the more the game slows down for him he can be a force.
Expect a lot of trades in this draft and a lot of moving parts. Some teams moving up and others moving down. All teams will try to get the players they want one way or another to compete this upcoming season.
This draft will also have implications on the off-season signings as teams will not only trade for players to draft but players that are free agents. Teams will get rid of assets to free up cap space to sign players that will be looking for big contracts. Below is a mock draft by some experts at NBA TV.
The results are in from the 2022 Mock Draft 👀
— NBA TV (@NBATV) June 23, 2022
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