What if the New York Knicks had drafted Wendell Carter Jr.?
The New York Knicks are very happy with the progress of first round pick Kevin Knox, but would their luck be any different with Wendell Carter Jr. instead?
A little over a month ago, the New York Knicks were holding their pre-draft workouts with several promising players from the 2018 class. One of those players was center Wendell Carter Jr. out of Duke, who showcased the size and athleticism that made him such a value to many teams.
Carter played only one season in college, but his size and quickness immediately make him NBA-worthy. The odds of Carter falling to the Knicks at No. 9 were unlikely, but would’ve been possible if the Chicago Bulls had chosen to go in another direction. Working out for a team that would need to trade up to select him suggested a potential desire to play in New York.
At the time of the draft workouts, the Knicks still had decisions needed to be made regarding centers Kyle O’Quinn and Enes Kanter. Carter, a 19-year-old from Fairborn, Georgia, expressed his excitement at the chance to call Madison Square Garden home and head coach David Fizdale during his post workout interviews with the media.
"“It’s the Knicks, They have a lot of [history], a lot of positive things that have happened in the past, and they’re just working on trying to rebuild and be that old Knicks team that was really great. As I went through the workout, we talked about the things they’re looking forward to doing next year, and they complement my game very well. I think it would be a great fit for me.”"
The important factor in drafting Carter would’ve been his ability to complement another more offensive-minded big man lined up alongside him. This would create a similar chemistry to his work with fellow draft pick and former Blue Devils teammate, Marvin Bagley III. The Bulls look to use Carter as the perfect protection and partner in the post with second-year forward Lauri Markannen, who will be allowed more opportunities at his natural forward position.
This is another reason the Knicks found Carter very intriguing during workouts, as they had dreams of pairing him with All-Star Kristaps Porzingis. Carter addressed those questions with reporters and gave a positive outlook on what would’ve been if he were wearing orange and blue this upcoming season.
"“It would be an honor to play alongside him, He can stretch the floor, he runs the floor really well, and I think I run the floor pretty well. I don’t always have to have the ball in my hands to affect the game. I let him do his thing, and I’m just there to clean up rebounds, and of course I have my own game where I can also score.”"
Carter performed well in NBA Summer League, averaging 14.6 points and 9.4 rebounds per game in Las Vegas. He appeared to live up to the hype heading into the tournament — obviously not to the exceptional surprise effort of Kevin Knox, but still noteworthy for his position.
Next: 2018 NBA free agency tracker: Grades for every deal so far
It will be interesting to see the progress of Carter during his rookie season in comparison to Knox’s campaign as both franchises plan to play their young talent throughout the season. It’s always worth bringing up when a young player wants to play for the Knicks as they continue the rebuild of talent and front office image under general manager Scott Perry and coach Fizdale.