- The speed of Alabama point guard Kira Lewis Jr. has attracted the interest of the Knicks, Marc Berman of the New York Post writes. Lewis, who’s largely considered to be the fastest player in the draft, worked out for the team last month. “Getting to the rim, finishing over length and showing my shot as well,” Lewis said of what he tried to show the team. “I try to bring every aspect I can whether it’s ball handing, passing, shooting, defense, rebounding,. Anything I can do to help the team. I’m trying to get better [in] being more physical with my size and handling bigger defenders, cutting to the basket and making great reads.”
The Knicks were hoping to work out Killian Hayes before Wednesday’s draft, but a COVID-19 outbreak may prevent that from happening, according to Marc Berman of The New York Post. The team had to close its training facility in Tarrytown after three staff members tested positive for the virus on Tuesday.
New York will consider the French point guard with its No. 8 pick and he may be an even stronger possibility if the Knicks trade down. The team has collected plenty of information on Hayes, such as his measurements and medical records, and interviewed him via Zoom.
“Everyone saw the progress and a lot of changes to my game,’’ Hayes said. “What I really improved on, really, is my body. As soon as you see me, there’s a big difference and change from eight months ago to now. … The player that I was back in March is not the same player I am today. I’ve really leveled up a lot.”
Hayes turned 19 in July, making him one of the youngest players in the draft. However, he faced much older competition in Germany and says fellow Frenchmen Frank Ntilikina and Sekou Doumbouya have helped him prepare for the NBA.
“I learned a lot being able to leading a group of grown men,’’ Hayes said. “I’m used to playing against a lot of physicality. People coming at me. That will definitely help me.’’
There’s more draft news to pass along:
- Cole Anthony believes his love for the game will help him succeed in the NBA, writes Chris Dortch of NBA.com. Anthony demonstrated his commitment by returning to the court for North Carolina after undergoing surgery during the season to fix a small meniscus tear in his right knee. “A few things went into my decision to keep playing,” he said. “But first and foremost, I love the sport of basketball. A lot of people say that, but they don’t really mean it. I truly love the game. And I wasn’t going to sit out when I was healthy and I could go.”
- In an interview with Ethan Fuller of Basketball News, Tyrese Maxey said he’s been working to improve his outside shot after hitting just 29% from beyond the arc in college. “You have to be able to shoot the ball at the next level,” Maxey explained. “As a guard my height, and guards in the NBA, period, it’s hard to be on the floor and play in an NBA game without being able to knock down wide-open threes. I feel like I’m a way better shooter than what the numbers say.”
- Teams are relying on Zoom and other technology to handle the unusual circumstances surrounding this year’s draft, writes Mark Medina of USA Today.
The upcoming week will mark the first chance for new president of basketball operations Leon Rose to put his stamp on the Knicks, writes Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News. The trade moratorium ends Monday, followed by the draft on Wednesday and the start of free agency on Friday. New York has a chance to play a significant role in all three events.
Bondy notes that Rose could opt for a win-now approach by trading for an expensive veteran such as Russell Westbrook. Or he could keep the team’s draft picks, target young free agents and accumulate assets to build for the future. Rose may also avoid adding significant payroll to set up a run at an elite free agent next summer, possibly Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Two sources in contact with the Knicks about their personnel tell Bondy that new coach Tom Thibodeau is advocating moves to turn the team into an immediate playoff contender. Thibodeau expects to have a say in roster moves, but Rose’s direction for the franchise won’t become clear for a few more days.
There’s more from New York:
- There’s speculation that former NBA guard Rick Brunson, who served as an assistant to Thibodeau with the Bulls and Timberwolves, could be joining the Knicks in some capacity, Bondy adds in the same story. Brunson recently resigned as head coach at Camden High School. He was Rose’s first NBA client and had been working out Kevin Knox and other players while the league was shut down.
- The Knicks are considered candidates to move up in the draft, but they haven’t been overly impressed with either LaMelo Ball or Anthony Edwards, according to Steve Popper of Newsday. Tyrese Haliburton also doesn’t appear to be a target, Popper adds, so New York may trade down to acquire more assets. He mentions Kira Lewis Jr. or Killian Hayes as possibilities, along with wing players Isaac Okoro, Patrick Williams and Devin Vassell.
- Okoro and Haliburton are the best fits for Thibodeau’s coaching style, Paul Biancardi, ESPN’s national basketball recruiting director, tells Ian Begley of SNY.tv. Biancardi, who played for Thibodeau in college, likes Okoro’s mindset and commitment to defense, while Haliburton would be a “high-IQ” leader at point guard. Biancardi points to Texas Tech’s Jahmi’us Ramsey and Washington’s Isaiah Stewart as players to watch at No. 27.
- The Knicks are considering drafting Oregon’s Payton Pritchard with the No. 27 pick, Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News tweets. Pritchard averaged 20.5 points, 5.5 assists and 36.6 minutes per game last season, shooting 47% from the floor and 42% from deep. New York also has the No. 8 and No. 38 selections in the draft, which is set to be held on November 18.
Some members within the Mavericks are interested in pursuing Danilo Gallinari once free agency opens on Nov. 20, according to Ian Begley of SNY. Dallas will likely join a significant number of suitors for Gallinari, with rival teams expecting that he’ll join a contender if the Thunder wind up trading Chris Paul.
Gallinari, 32, is one of the most intriguing forwards on the open market, averaging 18.7 points and 5.2 rebounds per game last season with Oklahoma City. The Mavericks pursued Gallinari prior to last season’s trade deadline, according to Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News, but backed away upon learning that he wouldn’t sign an extension with the team. Some members of the Knicks have also labeled him as a potential target, Begley notes.
In addition to Gallinari, Begley touched on a number of other topics related to free agency, including how teams such as the Lakers and Knicks are thinking:
- The Lakers are willing to discuss trades involving Danny Green, Begley reports. Green, an 11-year NBA veteran, struggled with his shooting in the playoffs, connecting on 34% of his attempts from behind-the-arc. He’s a career 39% shooter from deep in the postseason.
- Should the Knicks acquire Paul or Russell Westbrook in a trade, multiple teams expect the club to pursue veterans in free agency with hopes of making a playoff push this season, Begley notes. New York last made the playoffs during the 2012/13 season.
- Rival teams interested in Christian Wood believe the Knicks have made him a No. 1 target for free agency, according to Begley. Wood averaged 13.1 points, 6.3 rebounds and 21.4 minutes per game with the Pistons last season. He’s set to become an unrestricted free agent.
- Opposing teams also expect the Knicks to decline the $15.75MM team option on forward Bobby Portis, which would allow the 25-year-old to enter free agency. The current plan for New York includes retaining Reggie Bullock ($4.2MM partially guaranteed salary) and exercising the $8MM team option on guard Elfrid Payton, though Begley cautions this could change.
Southeast Division clubs have shown the most interest in North Carolina point guard Cole Anthony. He’s had individual workouts for the Wizards, Heat and Magic, Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News tweets. The son of former NBA guard Greg Anthony is ranked 19th on ESPN’s Best Available list. The Wizards own the No. 9 pick, with Orlando holding the No. 15 selection and Miami sitting at No. 20.
We have more draft news:
- Florida State guard Devin Vassell, ranked 11th by ESPN, has worked out for a handful of teams, Steve Popper of Newsday tweets. Vassell said he’s visited with the Knicks, Warriors, Celtics, Hawks and Magic. The presence of the Hawks (No. 6 pick) and Knicks (No. 8) suggest Vassell could go in the top 10. Golden State’s interest is intriguing, suggesting Vassell would be a target if the club trades down from the No. 2 pick.
- French point guard Theo Maledon has worked out for three Atlantic Division clubs as well as the Spurs, Brian Lewis of the New York Post tweets. The Nets (19th pick), Celtics (three first-rounders) and Raptors (No. 29) have also taken a look at Maledon, who is rated 24th overall by ESPN.
- As of Thursday, the Pelicans were the only team to host Tyrese Maxey, Rod Beard of the Detroit News tweets. The Kentucky shooting guard is 14th on ESPN’s list and New Orleans holds the 13th pick, so its interest late in the lottery makes sense.
DeMarcus Cousins is still recovering from the torn ACL in his left knee and may not be ready to play when the 2020/21 season begins in December, Austin Kent of SLAM reports. Cousins missed all of last season after suffering the injury during a summer workout. Cousins’ agent Jeff Schwartz told Kent that his client is focused on returning at full strength. Cousins, who is an unrestricted free agent, received offers prior to the restart but chose to continue his rehab.
We have more news from around the basketball world:
- The Knicks are in the best position in terms of cap space next offseason, Danny Leroux of The Athletic notes. Depending upon what they do this offseason, New York might have enough room for two max players. The Spurs, Hornets, Hawks and Heat could also be in good position to sign a max player. Leroux breaks down every team’s cap situation and what kind of spending power they might have in 2021.
- There’s a good chance that two-way players will be able to remain with their NBA teams for more than 45 days during the upcoming season, Marc Stein of the New York Times tweets. With a condensed offseason as well as coronavirus concerns, team executives are seeking more roster flexibility, Stein adds.
- With a flat luxury-tax line and hard cap, several teams will be forced into hard decisions in the coming weeks, Bobby Marks of ESPN notes. The hard cap of $138.9MM could force the Lakers to decide between trying to re-sign Rajon Rondo and spending their $9.3MM mid-level exception on another free agent, Marks notes. The hard cap figure could also force the Bucks to waive Ersan Ilyasova, who has a non-guaranteed $7MM contract, Marks adds.
The Knicks are on the “short list” of viable trade destinations for Rockets star Russell Westbrook, league sources tell Marc Stein of The New York Times (Twitter link). Westbrook is reportedly seeking a deal out of Houston.
According to Stein, the Knicks have weighed the possibility of making a trade for Westbrook, and if they prove willing to absorb the money left on his contract (approximately $132MM over there years), “there is a trade to be made.”
Given the Knicks’ cap flexibility and their desire to get back into the playoff picture in the Eastern Conference, it makes sense that they’d be linked to Westbrook. However, the belief is that they’re considering a wide number of possibilities with their two first-round picks and their projected cap room.
Ian Begley of SNY.tv noted earlier this week that people within the organization are wary about giving up too many assets in a trade for an expensive veteran like Westbrook or Chris Paul. The club has some extra first-rounders over the next few seasons and some young players with promise, but wants to retain enough pieces to eventually make a competitive trade offer for another star.
The Hornets, another Eastern lottery team with cap flexibility, have also been identified as a potential suitor for Westbrook. It remains to be seen how serious the Rockets are about moving the former MVP.
There are people within the Knicks organization that are bullish on the idea of acquiring Chris Paul, feeling as if he would help build a winning culture in New York and would be a good leader for the team’s young players, writes Ian Begley of SNY.tv.
However, according to Begley, there are also people in the organization wary of giving up too many assets in a trade for Paul. Those people want to make sure the club retains enough pieces to be able to make another trade down the road for a star player, sources tell Begley.
Given Paul’s massive contract, which still has two years and $85MM left on it, the Thunder are unlikely to extract a massive haul for their point guard. However, an All-Star season helped rebuild CP3’s value, and the Knicks would have to outbid other suitors, including the Suns, if they want to make a deal.
It’s probably safe to assume that Oklahoma City would seek at least one first-round pick and/or a young player in exchange for CP3 — Mitchell Robinson or RJ Barrett would likely be off limits, but the Thunder reportedly have interest in Kevin Knox.
In addition to all their own future first-round pick, the Knicks hold the Clippers’ pick (No. 27) in this year’s draft, as well as two future Mavericks first-rounders.
Here’s more on the Knicks:
- Within that same story, Begley considers whether the Knicks would be a fit for Russell Westbrook. As Begley observes, if the front office is wary of giving up too many assets in a Paul trade, it’s probably safe to assume that same stance would apply to a Westbrook deal. Like CP3, Westbrook is owed $41MM in 2020/21 and $44MM in ’21/22. The Rockets guard also has a $47MM player option for ’22/23.
- Exploring the Knicks’ draft options, Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic says that Villanova forward Saddiq Bey is among the players who have worked out for New York during the pre-draft process. The No. 8 pick might be a little high for Bey, who would be a more viable option for the Knicks in a trade-down scenario.
- The Knicks have reached out to schedule a second interview with Stanford’s Tyrell Terry, tweets Vorkunov. It’s possible Terry will still be on the board at No. 27, though his stock has been on the rise and he has generated mid-first-round buzz.
The Warriors continue to actively discuss trades involving the No. 2 pick, according to Jonathan Givony of ESPN (Insider link), who writes within his latest mock draft that the Bulls, Pistons, and Knicks are among the candidates to make a deal with Golden State.
If the Warriors remain at No. 2, the team seems more likely to select Memphis center James Wiseman than Georgia guard Anthony Edwards, per Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report. Wasserman has heard that there are some voices in Golden State’s front office against drafting Edwards, as well as mixed opinions within the front office on LaMelo Ball.
As Wasserman details, the Warriors have also expressed “legitimate” interest in sharpshooting wing Devin Vassell, but the assumption is that the club wouldn’t take the Florida State prospect at No. 2 — he’d be an option in a trade-down scenario. Wasserman adds that Vassell’s camp is confident he’ll go in the middle of the lottery and is unlikely to slip past the Kings at No. 12.
Here are a few more draft-related updates and rumors:
- According to Givony, the Suns (No. 10) are “looking heavily” at point guards and wing players, especially prospects who can complement Devin Booker, while the Spurs (No. 11) are eyeing both big men and wings in the hopes of bolstering their frontcourt.
- The Mavericks have expressed some interest in trading up into the lottery, league sources tell Jeremy Woo of SI.com. Dallas currently holds the 18th and 31st overall picks.
- Teams with picks in the 20s aren’t expecting Precious Achiuwa to be available, according to Wasserman, who says the Memphis forward will likely be picked in the 9-18 range.
- Multiple teams believe Arizona shooting guard Josh Green could slip a little, with some clubs viewing him as a “fringe first-rounder,” writes Wasserman.
- Jaden McDaniels, Tyrell Terry, Daniel Oturu, Tyrese Maxey, and RJ Hampton are among the first-round candidates with the widest projected draft ranges, per Wasserman.