2017 NBA Mock Draft 6.0: Suns snag Lonzo Ball; Heat trade up for Fox

Mar 24, 2017; Memphis, TN, USA; UCLA Bruins guard Lonzo Ball (2) controls the ball against Kentucky Wildcats forward Wenyen Gabriel (32) in the first half during the semifinals of the South Regional of the 2017 NCAA Tournament at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Justin Ford-USA TODAY Sports /

9 of 31

Mar 7, 2017; Brooklyn, NY, USA; North Carolina State Wolfpack guard Dennis Smith Jr. (4) drives against Clemson Tigers guard Marcquise Reed (2) during the second half of an ACC Conference Tournament game at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports /

8. New York Knicks – Dennis Smith Jr., PG, NC State

GM: Jonathan Macri; Twitter: @JCMacriNBA

On its face, nothing about this pick makes sense for the Knicks. Last year, New York struggled mostly because it had a point guard that a) was a sieve on defense and b) either couldn’t run the triangle or simply refused to do so. In Smith, the Knicks are getting a player who never showed much inclination to defend during his lone year at NC State, and who doesn’t seem to possess the smarts or jump shot needed to succeed in Phil Jackson’s system.

What he does possess is an unbridled athleticism that made him the number one prospect in the country before tearing his ACL in 2015. Having fully recovered from that injury, he’ll be one of the five most athletic point guards in the league the moment he steps on the court. That player is an asset, and the NBA is all about asset accumulation.

His game will immediately translate to the next level, and with more and more teams employing multiple ball-handler systems, there would be no shortage of takers if the Knicks decided he wasn’t a fit. The hope here is that he commits to defending as a pro, learns to blend his talents into New York’s offense, and the Knicks have found themselves a steal in the bottom half of the lottery.