With the 2024 NBA Draft beginning on Wednesday, June 26, the Knicks hold the Nos. 24 and 25 picks in the first round with a chance to add some strength to their rotation. Coming off a strong playoff run, making it to the Eastern Conference semifinals, the Knicks need to cover all their bases if they want to strengthen their NBA title hopes next year.
New York dealt with several big-name injuries this year with Julius Randle out in January with a shoulder injury, Mitchell Robinson dealing with an ankle injury that required surgery in December, and Josh Hart and Jalen Brunson out at the end of their second-round series against the Indiana Pacers. They desperately need more depth, strength, and versatility especially with so many of their players becoming free agents this off-season.
Isaiah Hartenstein and OG Anunoby are the first two names to come to mind. Hartenstein stepped up big in the postseason and filled that hole in the Knicks lineup when Robinson was sidelined. That most likely makes his future paycheck much higher than initially expected. With the Knicks payroll already a big question, this could be the end of his run in New York.
Then there is Anunoby, whom the Knicks acquired in a trade with the Toronto Raptors mid-season, which sent RJ Barrett, Immanuel Quickly, and a second-round draft pick back to the Canadian squad. If they let him go in free agency, it will go down as one of the worst trades in recent franchise history because they gave up young talent for a key player that ultimately became a rental. The Knicks need to pay up if they want to stay up.
Now comes the draft with late first-round, back-to-back picks. With all of the mock drafts going around, the Knicks’ best bet is to get a great defender and follow up with a potential offensive weapon. Ryan Dunn, a sophomore out of Virginia, is not the strongest offensively which is why he will probably fall further in the draft, but his defensive ability is strong. Listed at 6-foot-6 and with a wingspan of 7-foot-1, he could be a key factor under the basket as he averaged roughly seven boards per game last season.
On the other side, names like Jaylon Tyson, a junior out of California, and Yves Missi, a freshman out of Baylor, are being thrown around in the conversation. Tyson is a strong shooter, averaging nearly 20 points and making him a great option off the bench. Missi, although not as efficient as a scorer averaging around 11 points per game, is listed at 6-foot-11. With the possibility of losing Hartenstein, he would make another intriguing bench option, giving this team an added dash of versatility.
If the draft has shown us anything in the past years, it gets unpredictable. The Knicks just need to keep their priorities straight and make sure they acquire players they will use and teach, building a bench that will be strong on the court.
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