While New York Knicks' fans had their fingers crossed very tightly during the NBA Draft Lottery, the team ended up disappointed with the No. 4 pick in the draft. The Knicks were hoping luck would fall on their side and they would land in the top two picks after failing to finish with the worst record during the regular season. Now the Knicks are faced with a decision of whether or not to trade the No. 4 pick or use it on a rookie.
According to Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com, the Knicks are keeping their options open with the NBA draft, but are disappointed of where they landed. General manager Steve Mills said that the team is confident they can get a good player with their current draft pick, but they are also willing to listen to other options
"It's not a setback at all," Mills said, via ESPN.com. "We went into this draft knowing we can get a good player, anywhere from [Nos.] 1 to 5. I think we're going to be open to a lot of things. We know we can get a good player at this pick. We're also going to be open to talking to teams and looking at different options."
Prior to the NBA Draft Lottery, the New York Post reported that if the draft pick fell out of the top four, team president Phil Jackson would trade it. The No. 4 pick is not much better which means New York could still seek a trade as they aim to acquire elite talent heading into next season. If the Knicks keep the pick, players like Justise Winslow, Willie Cauley-Stein and De'Angelo Russell could be around. Karl-Anthony Towns and Jahlil Okafor are presumed as the top two picks. The Knicks would need to decide between acquiring a defender or point guard with the pick.
Jackson told season ticket holders that he likes the idea of getting a top defender in the draft and save the point guard position for free agency. Jackson hinted that the Knicks never truly replaced Tyson Chandler after he was traded and needed to grab size first. Meanwhile, Carmelo Anthony told the New York Daily News that he believes free agency is the better place to find a point guard since it can be a tough transition for rookies. The Knicks have already been linked to Rajon Rondo, Goran Dragic and a trade for Brandon Jennings as both Jose Calderon and Langston Galloway are on the trade block.
