After surrendering several future first-round picks in their trade agreement for Mikal Bridges, the Knicks are now considered more likely to keep their three picks – No. 24, No. 25, and No. 38 – in this year’s draft, which begins on Wednesday night, Jonathan Givony writes in ESPN’s latest mock draft (Insider link).
The updated mock draft from Givony and ESPN’s Jeremy Woo includes several more notable tidbits, including the fact that the Sixers have conducted perhaps the fewest pre-draft workouts of any team with a first-round pick, resulting in speculation that the No. 16 selection will be traded.
Givony also provides an update on Kentucky’s Rob Dillingham, who wasn’t able to work out for teams for most of the pre-draft process due to an ankle injury. According to Givony, teams picking both earlier and later in the first round are trying to figure out where they might need to get to in order to land Dillingham, who has been considered a candidate to fall further than initially anticipated.
The Heat at No. 15 would be one option for Dillingham, as rival teams expect them to select a guard at that spot. Jared McCain, Isaiah Collier, and Carlton Carrington have also been mentioned as candidates for Miami at No. 15, Givony writes.
Here’s more on the 2024 NBA draft, which gets underway in less than 11 hours:
- According to Givony, the Jazz (No. 10) have looked into some trade-up scenarios involving the Pistons‘ No. 5 overall pick. Their likely target would be UConn’s Stephon Castle, who is considered a possibility for the Hornets at No. 6 but may also come off the board at No. 4 to the Spurs, Givony explains.
- Some rival executives think the Lakers will attempt to move up from No. 17 in the draft in order to target a specific player, according to Dan Woike of The Los Angeles Times, who says Providence’s Devin Carter and Baylor’s Ja’Kobe Walter are two prospects the team likes.
- Within his final look at the Spurs‘ draft options at No. 4 and 8, LJ Ellis of SpursTalk says a rumor that San Antonio has made a promise to French forward Tidjane Salaun has been “spreading like wildfire in the draft world,” though he hasn’t been able to confirm it himself. Ellis lists Salaun at No. 5 on his big board of Spurs draft prospects.
- Salaun is also a potential target to watch for the Trail Blazers at No. 7, according to Sean Highkin of The Rose Garden Report (Substack link), who identifies Donovan Clingan, Cody Williams, Dalton Knecht, and Salaun as the prospects he believes Portland is most interested in. At No. 14, Highkin views Kyshawn George, Tristan Da Silva, Kel’el Ware, and Zach Edey as the Blazers’ most likely targets.
If no trades are made, my guess at the top 10:
1 ATL- Risacher
2 WSH- Sarr
3 HOU- Sheppard
4 SA- Castle
5 DET- Knecht
6 CHA- Buzelis
7 POR- Clingan
8 SA- Salaun
9 MEM- C. Williams
10 UTA- Topic
There’s too much smoke around Sheppard at 3, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Castle goes there.
Heat should be looking for 2/3s or 4/3s, or 2 way combo guards, potentially available in their draft ranges…I’ve had stuff going on and wasn’t able to do much draft research st all, but I remember liking more options in the 20s-30s
I don’t see any of those guards making any sense at all for the Heat but they’re always linked to people that make no sense and would never be drafted by them, so I’m sure it won’t be any of those guys. If it is. Herro is definitely gone
I guess I better chk out Salaun. Cause I don’t get why he’s moved up so much.
I still believe Mitch will be traded. So I’m hoping Knicks draft a Center.
Ware and Dunn would be like hitting the lottery to me. They would fit right in with this team.
I like Filipowski’s scouting report (haven’t been able to watch the video I want ahead of time yet), but I think he. Sounds like a godlike fit for the Knicks right now. I would be looking for spacing at the 4/versatility at the 5/spacing there
Filipowski can sort of space but the idea of him as a 3PT shooter is greater than his actual ability at this point. We’ll see if he can get there.
I’m going off untrusted scouting reports right now b/c of my eye lol. But hopefully I’ll see most of these guys in summer league anyway (assuming I can recover in time to watch 150 games this year)
Philly should be signing DeM DeR as we speak. Fools to let this go by. I’d sign Fultz and DeM.
Philly is probably too scarred from their last go-around with Fultz to head down that path again.
Shooting is a thing
Is that a joke, I hope? DeRozen is old and never on a winning team, and Fultz stinks. If they are signing FA’s, Andre Drummond, Malik Monk,& Miles Bridges would be 3 FAs that would work well in Philly.
No need for demar after getting bridges. Unless he is taking less that OG. Fultz I can see working.
link to cbssports.com
This explains the Knicks cap well.
We can lose IHart or we can include Mitch in this trade to a third team. Either way seems Knicks will be looking for a Center tonight.
Dunn and Ware ….. and Knick will wear out Barclays……,