Knicks Could Fill PG Hole With USC Star

The New York Knicks could make a splash by taking USC point guard Isaiah Collier in the 2024 NBA Draft.

Feb 29, 2024; Pullman, Washington, USA; USC Trojans guard Isaiah Collier (1) shoots the ball againstWashington State Cougars forward Andrej Jakimovski (23) in the second half at Friel Court at Beasley Coliseum. Washington State Cougars won 75-72. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-USA TODAY Sports | James Snook-USA TODAY Sports

The New York Knicks are potentially searching for a point guard in the 2024 NBA Draft after the team traded Immanuel Quickley to the Toronto Raptors in the middle of last season for OG Anunoby.

Among the players they could look to draft to fill that void is Isaiah Collier, a former McDonald's All-American who spent his lone collegiate season with the USC Trojans.

"The former No. 2 recruit from the 2023 cycle dealt with a hand injury mid-way through his season at USC that sidelined him for about a month. After his return, Collier showed why he was one of the best freshmen in his class. Collier is a point guard built like a middle linebacker, and his strong frame allows him to bully his way to the rim. The numbers also don't do it justice to how skilled of a passer Collier is," CBS Sports writes.

If Collier hadn't gotten injured in the middle of USC's season, there's a world where he is considered with a top-5 pick in the draft. Now, he could be a mid-to-late first-round pick, which could be in the Knicks' range at Nos. 24 & 25.

Collier is being mocked slightly before these spots, but the Knicks could have the ammunition to trade up a few spots if they really think he could be their guy.

As the No. 2 recruit from last year's high school class, Collier clearly has upside. While it didn't quite translate at USC, there's reason to believe he can succeed at the NBA level. He averaged 16.3 points and 4.3 assists per game in his lone season with the Trojans.

With the Knicks, there's a spot open for someone like Collier to fill the role that Miles McBride held during the first two seasons of his career. McBride will step into Quickley's role that he vacated as the leading scorer off the bench in the backcourt, and Collier will be tabbed as the person who steps up in case of injury.

If Collier can learn the ropes and be patient like McBride was in the first part of his career, he can thrive once an opportunity presents itself to be a bigger contributor in the rotation.

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