NBA Mock Draft 2.0: Tankathon sim gives Knicks No. 1 overall pick

More than anything else, the Knicks need something positive to build momentum and help them claw their ways up from rock bottom. If the Knicks were to land the top pick, as they do in this simulation, it would be hard to pass up someone with LaMelo Ball’s profile, both as a player and headline-grabber.

We don’t know for sure yet, but Ball could be up to 6-foot-7 with around a 6-foot-10 wingspan, meaning he can slide to multiple spots defensively. His primary role in the NBA projects to be a shot creator, and he actually might complement R.J. Barrett well — last year’s rookie who might be better off leaning more towards scoring than playmaking. This is the rare move that feels like the kind of wild swing the Knicks would take and might actually be the right decision from a basketball perspective.