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Complete 2017 NBA Draft grades for all 30 teams

By Gerald Bourguet

Jun 22, 2017; Brooklyn, NY, USA; General view of the stage before the 2017 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 22, 2017; Brooklyn, NY, USA; General view of the stage before the 2017 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports /
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2017 NBA Draft
Jun 22, 2017; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Frank Ntilikina of France holds up a team jersey after being introduced as the number eight overall pick to the New York Knicks in the first round of the 2017 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports /

New York Knicks

Frank Ntilikina (No. 8), Damyean Dotson (No. 44), Ognjen Jaramaz (No. 58)

The best thing the New York Knicks did during draft week was make their asking price for Kristaps Porzingis so ridiculously high that no one could put together an offer. The second-best thing they did was draft Frank Ntilikina at No. 8. Almost everything else aside from that was a dumpster fire.

With reports pouring in that Phil Jackson might trading one of the most valuable contracts in NBA history — considering KP’s age and that the team having him under control for so many years — Knicks fans were just bracing for the senseless trade of a 22-year-old franchise cornerstone.

Whether by cooler heads prevailing or sheer dumb luck, it never came, and New York was able to draft French combo guard Frank Ntilikina and all his wingspan to help usher in a new era of Knicks basketball. He has plenty of things to work on at the next level and may not even be a pure point guard, but he has the tools to be something special in the Big Apple.

Damyean Dotson and Ognjen Jaramaz are less impressive names, but the former is a versatile shooter at the 2 whose stock went up during the pre-draft workout process, while the latter is a 6’4″ point guard who’d be a draft-and-stash option.

The Knicks probably damaged their relationship with Porzingis beyond repair, and at this point, they might have been better off trading him. But unicorns like this don’t come around very often, so if there’s even a chance he still wants to play for this franchise for the long-term, you take it.

Grade: B