Knicks: Should New York draft Mikal Bridges or Trae Young?

Villanova’s Mikal Bridges and Oklahoma’s Trae Young are the two prospects most often connected to the New York Knicks. Of the two, who should they select?

The two prospects most commonly associated with the New York Knicks, who hold the 9th overall selection in the 2018 NBA Draft, are Villanova small forward Mikal Bridges and Oklahoma point guard Trae Young.

Though Alabama point guard Collin Sexton had also been a possibility, he’s behind Young in the point guard race and is relatively out of the conversation as of now.

As far as talent goes, Bridges and Young are amongst the best in this class. Bridges showcased his two-way potential while aiding Villanova to its second national title in three years. Young led the nation in scoring, displaying his Curry-like range from well beyond the arc.

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The bigger question the Knicks must answer before deciding anything is this: Is Frank Ntilikina going to remain the team’s point guard or will this draft selection be his replacement?

In his first season in the Empire City, Ntilikina underwhelmed and shared time with Trey Burke and Emmanuel Mudiay. The Frenchman averaged 5.9 points, 2.3 rebounds and 3.2 assists across 21.9 minutes per game. Though he wasn’t expected to be much of a shooter coming into the league, he delivered some three-balls at an effective 31.8 percent clip.

He was just drafted last year and wasn’t exactly handed the reins at his position. He entered a volatile situation where the general manager that selected him, Phil Jackson, was fired immediately after the draft, and now former head coach Jeff Hornacek was cut loose.

David Fizdale was hired to replace him on a four-year deal and will serve as the bench boss for the foreseeable future. Star player Kristaps Porzingis also was lost for the season, and likely this upcoming season as well, after tearing his ACL.

With all of that going on, is it reasonable to expect the world from him as a rookie? Absolutely not. It’s not fair to not even have a shot to be “the guy” and be given up on after one season. He should at least be given another shot this season to prove he can be a competent starter.

Now, there’s one important aspect of Ntilikina’s game that Trae Young simply doesn’t have: Defensive prowess. Young is a force offensively but was easily exploited at Oklahoma and cost the Sooners plenty of buckets despite supplying a ton. Ntilikina is an elite defender and showed it as a rookie, averaging nearly a steal per game in his minimal playing time.

If the Knicks opt to give Ntilikina some more time to develop, which is a more sensible decision than giving up on last year’s first rounder for this year’s first rounder, then point guard won’t be the move at No. 9. Trae Young and Collin Sexton would both be out of the running if that thought process prevails.

That leaves the door open for Mikal Bridges. The Villanova product plays a position of need for the Knicks, as Tim Hardaway Jr. can easily move to the two spot. That move would send Courtney Lee to the bench, where he belongs as a valuable yet not constant contributor, or the trading block.

The Knicks have missed having two wings since J.R. Smith and Carmelo Anthony last played together in 2014-15. Bridges averaged 17.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.9 assists per game and shot the three-ball at a ridiculous 43.5 percent rate. He has star potential and can play well on both ends on the floor and showed he can be a leader. The 6-foot-7′ forward won two national championships at Villanova and boasts a 7-foot wingspan, making him nearly impossible to get by on the perimeter.

Despite all of these attributes, he’s overshadowed by the ridiculous class of big men highlighted by Deandre Ayton, Marvin Bagley, Mohamed Bamba, Wendell Carter and Jaren Jackson Jr. Trae Young likely won’t make it to the Knicks, as Cleveland and Orlando both have interest in the ex-Sooner. Bridges is widely projected to either the Knicks or the 76ers, who pick right behind them.

The bottom line is that Trae Young could be great and could be decent. He’s a shooter with much room for improvement as a defender. While he has all the flash in the world and will be a force from downtown, he’s not the best pick for the Knicks.

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Mikal Bridges is the man for New York and can take this franchise to new heights with the help of Kristaps Porzingis once he’s back from injury. Bridges could end up being the best player in the whole draft if he can put on 10-15 pounds and has the talent to go along with the physical gifts.

In a league featuring star small forwards in LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kawhi Leonard and more, getting the best small forward in this class, and likely the best in a draft since Antetokounmpo, is the clear-cut best move for the Knicks.