The NBA draft is less than a month away and the main trade intrigue has centered on the NY Knicks, as they have the number 4 pick and could target players like Justise Winslow, Willie Cauley-Stein, Trey Lyles along with a trade down if Jahlil Okafor or D'Angelo Russell are off the board and teams like the Boston Celtics and Denver Nuggets could be interested in moving up.
The Minnesota Timberwolves won the draft lottery and they will pick number one ahead of the Lakers, Sixers and Knicks. The 76ers may consider a trade out of the three spot, but most draft experts see the Knicks pick as the one that is most in play. NBA insider Chris Sheridan writes that the Knicks likely will look at trading the pick of Okafor or Russell are taken ahead of the fourth pick and if that happens, the team may target players like Cameron Payne, Trey Lyles or Frank Kaminsky.
The Knicks have been working out numerous players this week, including Russell, Kevon Looney, Kaminsky and Lyles. According to Ian Begley at ESPN New York, the team is "seriously" interested in Lyles, as Phil Jackson sees him as a good fit for the triangle offense. Pro Basketball talk has Justise Winslow as a top target for the Knicks and they have him going to the team a number four in their latest mock draft.
The Knicks have needs in the back court and the front court and Sheridan writes that the top target for the team all year has been Okafor. The Knicks finished with the second worst record in the league this season and they ended up getting the fourth pick in the draft after losing out to the Lakers and getting jumped. The team was looking to draft either Okafor or Karl-Anthony Towns this year, but now it looks like both of those players will be off the board by the time the team picks. The team is also reportedly looking into Kristaps Porzingis as well as Cameron Payne as draft options with Porzingis an option if they stay at number four.
The Celtics are a team that many have speculated could trade up, as they have reportedly had interest in Willie Cauley-Stein and Texas big Myles Turner. According to CSN New England, the team is willing to move up in the draft by packaging picks and the Knicks could be a potential option along with the Kings at number six. The Kings reportedly are considering a trade with the number six pick and the Celtics could be an option to move up.
The Celtics have the number 16 and number 28 picks in the first round and they could use that to move up if they don't go after DeMarcus Cousins. The Celtics also could look at making trades this offseason, as the team has an arsenal of draft picks to use, including two first rounders that they got for Rajon Rondo. The Knicks will move back if certain players are off the board and that looks like it will happen, as Towns, Okafor and Russell are expected to go 1-3.