Fansided

NBA Draft 2018: 5 targets for the New York Knicks

By Paul Centopani

GREENBURG, NY - JULY 17: New York Knicks team President, Steve Mills and Jeff Hornacek of the New York Knicks introduce General Manager Scott Perry at a pess conference at the at Knicks Practice Center July 17, 2017 in Greenburg, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Steven Freeman/NBAE via Getty Images)
GREENBURG, NY - JULY 17: New York Knicks team President, Steve Mills and Jeff Hornacek of the New York Knicks introduce General Manager Scott Perry at a pess conference at the at Knicks Practice Center July 17, 2017 in Greenburg, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Steven Freeman/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Trae Young
NORMAN, OK – FEBRUARY 05: Trae Young /

4. Trae Young, PG, Oklahoma

Trae Young took the college basketball world by storm this past season, lighting up scoreboards and filling highlight reels with dime-dropping and 30-foot 3’s. The lazy comparisons to Steph Curry poured in because of his shooting range, diminutiveness, and unlikely rise to prominence. However, his shine dulled as defenses game-planned around him and size was used against him.

The Knicks floated that they have an eye on Young. It makes sense. He thrived at times under the spotlight and Young’s the top point guard prospect of this class. His game is also a perfect complement to Frank Ntilikina. But he comes with concerns. If you watched this year’s playoffs, small guards get constantly targeted in pick-and-rolls, becoming easy prey for bigger wings.

It’s an inherent disadvantage in being small in the way the NBA is played right now. And there’s validity to Young being a liability if he was in the playoffs right now. But part of that is fallacy, projecting present-day aspects and stylings on a constantly-evolving entity. Roy Hibbert was the poster-child of the verticality movement just five years ago and now he’s out of the league. Who knows, maybe the next phase will be a D’Antopia, a lush land of milk and honey where scoring guards thrive and defense is optional.

If you draft Young, you’re hoping his strengths greatly outweigh his weaknesses and he’s closer to Curry than Jimmer Fredette. And the league trends away from players with major shortcomings being exposed at every turn.

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