2020 NBA Draft: 5 teams that should trade for Timberwolves’ No. 1 pick

1. New York Knicks

The last time the New York Knicks had the No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft, they took Patrick Ewing out of Georgetown. That was 35 years ago now, and the Knicks haven’t really sniffed the glory days of those Ewing teams since.

The Knicks have a collection of young players, but aside from RJ Barrett and Mitchell Robinson, all of them are expendable. Whether they have their eye on LaMelo Ball, Anthony Edwards or someone else at the top of their draft board, New York’s eighth overall pick isn’t going to get the job done.

Packaging future first-rounders is a cardinal sin for this Big Apple franchise, but if it’s moving deadweight prospects to move up to No. 1, rather than trading for some aging point guard who’s past his prime? Then it might be worth it.

A package of the No. 8 pick, Frank Ntilikina, Reggie Bullock and a future first-rounder might be enough to move the needle for the Timberwolves. Ntilikina is clearly flawed offensively, but his multi-positional defense would be a boon to a Timberwolves squad that really needs to start caring about that end of the floor. Bullock is a shooter that could easily be plugged into any bench unit, and even a protected first would give Minnesota an extra pick for their trouble.

If that package weren’t good enough, No. 8, No. 27, Ntilikina, Bullock and Kevin Knox for the No. 1 pick and James Johnson is another possible avenue. As long as the Wolves understand Barrett and Robinson are off limits, the Knicks have options to construct a trade with picks and youngsters who may just need a fresh start.

The question is whether Minnesota would be okay with moving down seven spots to take a chance on some flawed young players who may never pan out, and if that becomes the case, the Knicks would have to find some way to make it worth their while.