The New York Knicks have the No. 44 overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft. Here are five players they should consider with that pick.
The New York Knicks are in a rare position by their standards in regard to having several second round draft picks. In past seasons, the Knicks would’ve been lucky to just have one pick total, but this year the second round is in their immediate favor.
New York received the 44th overall pick from the Chicago Bulls this past summer as part of the Derrick Rose trade. As the first round pick will likely be used to feature a future starting point guard, team president Phil Jackson will look to acquire either talented young big men or more depth at the wing position.
The possible destinations of Carmelo Anthony and Derrick Rose in the upcoming weeks may also help determine this pick’s ultimate value.
The Knicks do have positive history from the second round as Trevor Ariza was selected by New York in the 2004 NBA Draft at 44th overall, though he only played one season with the franchise. The current Houston Rockets swingman has been a constant contributor for several teams, including a championship season with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2009.
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The plan for this current crop of players is to be as effective as Ariza, just for a much longer period of time. It’s quite possible another diamond in the rough could just be the spark a franchise dealing with a few consecutive seasons of disappointment.