The New York Knicks have big decisions to make in the 2020 NBA draft. With the draft looming, we have three options they should consider with the 27th pick.
The last time the New York Knicks made two first-round picks in the same draft was one of the weakest in NBA history — 2006. New York missed on Renaldo Balkman (20) and Mardy Collins (29). I don’t need to dive too deep into the Rajon Rondo and Kyle Lowry of it all as we’ve heard it before.
That draft was a dud for almost everyone. Portland did wind up with LaMarcus Aldridge (Nice one, Zeke) and Brandon Roy on the same night while the Celtics had Rondo fall into their lap. But for the most part, the 2006 draft stunk.
The Knicks are potentially facing a somewhat similar situation 14 years later — fortunately with their own pick. The 2020 draft is unique from most in that there’s no clear-cut No. 1 pick. That’s a nice way of saying that nobody seems to like this draft, and all the smart people are already looking forward to the next one.
The talk of the 2020 draft is the uncertainty surrounding the top prospects. Anthony Edwards, LaMelo Ball, and James Wiseman are talented, but the consensus seems to be that none of them will be a franchise player.
The Knicks won’t have an opportunity to take any of the top guys where they currently stand. But they do have two picks in the first round — fortunately one of them is in the top ten this time — at No. 8 and No. 27.
The 27th pick has been a lucky charm lately. It’s produced legitimate NBA players like Robert Williams (2018), Kyle Kuzma (2017), Larry Nance Jr. (2015), and Bogdan Bogdanovic (2014), as well as All-NBA talents like Pascal Siakam (2016) and Rudy Gobert (2013).
The Knicks are hoping to find their own diamond in the rough prospect this year. Our Alex Trataros gave us three options for the Knicks with the eighth pick, so I looked at some of the draft’s lower-rated prospects. Here are three options for the 27th pick.