The New York Knicks have the fourth overall pick in the NBA draft and the team could target names Trey Lyles, Justise Winslow and Emmanuel Mudiay with the selection, but there is a chance the team could look to trade the pick, as the Boston Celtics could be interested in moving up to take Willie Cauley-Stein in the top 10.
The Knicks were jumped in the draft lottery and now they may consider trading out of the top five after finishing with the second worst record in the league. The Knicks were hoping to get the chance to pick Karl-Anthony Towns or Jahlil Okafor, but instead they now are behind the Lakers and the Sixers in the draft. According to Pro Basketball Talk, the team is considering taking Emmanuel Mudiay with the fourth overall pick and the team is also interested in Justise Winslow from Duke.
The Knicks reportedly will listen to offers for the fourth pick, as Phil Jackson said earlier in the season that the team would consider trades if it fell outside the top three. According to Frank Isola of the New York Daily News, the Knicks are interested in Trey Lyles from Kentucky as an option at the fourth pick along with Towns and Willie Cauley-Stein. The Kentucky trio is expected to go high and Isola writes that the Knicks could consider trading down to take Lyles.
Isola writes that Lyles is considered by most draft experts to be a mid-first round pick and if that is the case, the team could trade down and still pick him. The Knicks are also targeting D'Angelo Russell, but most mock drafts have him going in the top three and that means to the Timberwolves, Lakers or Sixers. The Knicks were jumped in the lottery and now the Lakers and Wolves have the chance to get Karl-Anthony Towns or Jahlil Okafor with the top two picks.
According to CSN New England, A. Sherrod Blakely reports that the Celtics are interested in trading up in the draft for Willie Cauley-Stein and the Knicks could be a potential partner. The Knicks may want to move down if they want to take Lyles and the Celtics have the ammunition to make a move, as they have two first round picks in the back half of the draft this year.
The Celtics have the number 16 and 28 picks and that could be enough to get up into the top 10 if they add in some more to the package with one of those selections. The Celtics had a strong season with Brad Stevens and the team may feel they are close to getting back to winning basketball and could push to get a top prospect. The Knicks should consider the move if they like Lyles or another player out of the top picks, as they could use more draft selections moving forward and could still get the player they want.
The Knicks also will be looking to spend in free agency and players like Greg Monroe, LaMarcus Aldridge and Rajon Rondo are potential targets. The team is going to go hard after Monroe according to Isola, while Rondo could be an option if he doesn't sign with the Lakers.