NBA Tankapalooza 2019: Who will land the No. 1 pick in the Draft?
By Jacob Doole
New York Knicks (11-47, second worst in NBA)
Current talent: The Knicks might just be the least talented team in the league. They have the youngest roster with an average age below 24, and after trading away the injured Kristaps Porzingis they have nothing close to an All-Star level contributor.
Dennis Smith Jr. has shown flashes since his Knicks debut, but he’s wildly inconsistent and still has major holes in his game. 19/20
Team needs: New York doesn’t just want Zion Williamson– it NEEDS Zion Williamson. It seems like the whole city has come down with Duke fever, and anything less than the number one pick would be a colossal failure.
A high pick means more than just happiness for delusional New Yorkers, though. The Knicks are putting all of their eggs in the free-agency basket as they chase both Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant. A talent such as Williamson, or even a Ja Morant or RJ Barrett, could bolster an otherwise flimsy argument for either or both to sign. 19/20
Injuries/resting potential: Recent acquisitions DeAndre Jordan and Dennis Smith Jr. are the most obvious resting candidates, as both are capable of winning the Knicks some games.
Jordan has been a rock throughout his NBA career, rarely missing games through injury, but his age makes him an easily excused absence. Smith, meanwhile, has been hampered by a recurring wrist injury throughout his young professional career. Expect the injury to “flare up” again as the season winds down. 14/20
Dell Demps Desperation Factor: How long has it been since the Knicks made a wholly successful move or decision? Even their successes, like drafting Kristaps Prozingis, end up feeling like failures through their mismanagement and ineptitude.
GM Scott Perry has only been in the job since mid-2017, but it already feels like he might be on his last chance. With all the hype around the Knicks in 2019 free agency he needs to land a big fish or two, and a blue-chip prospect in the draft would help him do that. Failing to do so, though, could be the final nail in his orange and blue coffin. 18/20
Strength of schedule: The Knicks have a relatively weak schedule with some key matchups at the foot of the standings. Games against Phoenix and Cleveland will go a long way to deciding the lottery’s order, and two matchups with the Bulls could also be crucial. Just 11 of their final 24 games are against current playoff teams. 10/20