Who the Knicks should draft in the second round tonight

Who the Knicks should draft in the second round tonight

The New York Knicks and their fans had themselves a very eventful day as they went from celebrating the return of OG Anunoby to hearing Pacôme Dadiet’s name called—and then realizing that the Knicks somehow managed to acquire five future second-round picks. But there’s still work to do for Leon Rose, as New York still holds the 38th and 51st pick in the second round of the draft that will take place later tonight. Here are a few players, in no particular order, that the Knicks could and should take.

Tyler Kolek

Kolek has all the makings of a player that can thrive as a backup point guard for the Knicks. Despite being undersized at just 6’1”, the former Marquette point guard has a very quick first step, allowing him to get into the paint where he uses his craftiness and a wide array of finishes to score. As a shooter, he showed that he’s more than capable of pulling up off the dribble and was knockdown as a catch-and-shoot threat, as well. And he balances his scoring with great passing instincts that allow him to make the right play often.

Defensively, he lacks the size and athleticism to be great but he’s very good at navigating screens and is often in the right spots. And maybe most importantly, the effort is constantly there. Tom Thibodeau may not play rookies big minutes often but the 23-year-old has plenty of experience running a team and should be fine as the backup point guard. And in certain matchups, given the amount of size and length the Knicks have on the wings, Kolek could even play some minutes alongside Jalen Brunson, much like Deuce McBride did last season.

Kyle Filipowski

As we covered earlier this week, Filipowski is a very solid player with a skill set that the Knicks could use. His unique blend of outside shooting and passing at his position made him one of the most talented bigs in the draft and while he isn’t an amazing rim protector, he’s a good rebounder and defends surprisingly well in space.

The Duke big man was expected to go in the first round with some thinking he could even go in the 10’s but he inexplicably fell down the draft board last night. Simply off of talent and production alone, Filipowski is worth a strong consideration for the Knicks. Add on the fact that the Knicks may lose Isiah Hartenstein or Mitchell Robinson and the Knicks’ need for an additional big makes Filipowski an even more worthy pick. He likely doesn’t have an incredibly high ceiling, but his NBA-ready body and skill set would allow him to contribute off the bench and even with the starters for a Knicks team that is likely looking to add a big man.

Johnny Furphy

Unlike the two aforementioned prospects, Furphy only played a year of college and likely wouldn’t play much for a Knicks team that is clearly trying to win now. That being said, Furphy also has a higher ceiling than both players listed above as well. While he doesn’t possess the body, skill, or experience to play from day one, he does have an intriguing skill set.

Furphy, for starters, just seems to always know where to be and excels in finding open spots on the floor. He’s a good shooter who should continue to develop into both a good stationary and on-the-move shooter. Furphy is also a solid athlete who can finish above the rim when out in transition. The former Kansas Jayhawk isn’t a great defender and can’t do much to create for himself or others so there are clear weaknesses that will hold him back and need to be addressed. But none of that may matter for a Knicks team that has most of its rotation figured out and is picking later in the draft. Projected by many to go in the middle of or the end of the first round, Furphy would be a nice steal pick for the Knicks to develop.

Jonathan Mogbo

Standing at just 6’6”, Mogbo isn’t a traditional big man but he also isn’t a modern forward either. In essence, Mogbo is what many often refer to as a tweener but in the best way possible. He can handle the ball, make plays, face up, and defend on the perimeter like a guard, but is also a great rebounder and can use his athleticism and 7’2” wingspan to protect the rim like a center can. Mogbo isn’t a threat at all as a shooter but the Knicks don’t require their bigs to shoot anyway so that shouldn’t be a problem.

Given the right opportunity, Mogbo’s incredible versatility and unique skill set, combined with his high motor, should make him a productive and fun player. And with the Knicks potentially losing one of their top two big men, Mogbo’s Frankenstein game that has shades of both Hartenstein and Robinson could be perfect in New York.

KJ Simpson

Simpson, like Kolek, is an undersized point guard, except he’s even shorter, listed at 6’0.3”. But Simpson doesn’t play like he knows he’s undersized. Time and time again, the standout point guard showed a knack for scoring. Whether it was using his great ball-handling abilities to get into the lane, or hitting tough outside shots off the catch, off the dribble, or on the move, Simpson proved that he’s an incredibly talented scorer.

On the defensive end, his size does and will continue to limit him but it has never been and won’t be because of effort. He is a feisty point-of-attack defender who fights over screens and gets in defenders’ faces and he’s an extremely aggressive rebounder for both his height and position. In New York, his lack of size may not matter as much playing next to a big frontcourt and the thought of him potentially learning under Brunson is enticing.

Adem Bona

Bona lacks the size that Thibodeau may ideally want from his centers but Bona has a lot of the other qualities he looks for. Motor, physicality, rim protection, offensive rebounding, hard screens, it’s all there.

It’s important to note that he’s a bad shooter, isn’t a reliable passer, and doesn’t have a great offensive game outside of receiving lobs but if the Knicks need a cheap and younger Precious Achiuwa-type player replacement, he’s right there.

Kevin McCullar Jr.

McCullar is another player that Thibodeau should love. He will never be the number one scoring or playmaking option and isn’t going to win you games by going iso. But he’s a high IQ connector who cuts very well, makes great reads, can make open shots when left open, and can score down low, as well. And most importantly, he defends and rebounds and does so well.

McCullar defended well in college, showing the ability to both guard on the perimeter and be a great help defender down low. And the Kansas Jayhawk also plays with a tremendous amount of energy and motor. Reminiscent of a Josh Hart or Bruce Brown, McCullar just seems like a winning player that could thrive off the bench for a Thibodeau-lead squad.