NBA Mock Draft: New York Knicks Add Two Top Big Men
The New York Knicks are a team without many holes, but with (at least) two picks in the first round of this year's NBA Draft, they are going to have some capital to work with.
New York could look to trade one or both of these picks for some late-season insurance before the trade deadline. But if it keeps both selections, president Leon Rose and Co. could add some promising prospects.
CBS Sports recently drew up a mock draft that sends Baylor freshman center Yves Missi to the Knicks with the 14th pick in an order determined by SportsLine projections. The pick in question would come from the Dallas Mavericks as the final piece of the Kristaps Porzingis trade from 2019.
Baylor Bears center Yves Missi (21) dunks against the Nicholls State Colonels during the first half at Ferrell Center.
Chris Jones-USA TODAY Sports
"Baylor might have two lottery picks in the aforementioned Walter and a surprising riser in big man Yves Missi," CBS Sports' Kyle Boone writes. "Missi has impressed out of the gate with his 7-foot frame, and his fluidity and defensive impact has been apparent for the Bears."
Missi is averaging 9.1 points and 5.7 rebounds per game so far this season in seven contests with the Bears. Fresh off a 23-win season, Baylor projects to be at or near the top of the Big 12, arguably the best conference on the NCAA men's level. The Bears, currently ranked ninth nationally, face Northwestern State on Saturday (6 p.m. ET, ESPN+).
With their latter pick, the Knicks are projected to go international and select forward Bobi Klintman. The 6-10 Swede played at Wake Forest last year but opted out of the NCAA entirely to join the Cairns Taipans in the NBL down in Australia.
"Klintman was thought to be in the first-round mix this past draft cycle after a promising season at Wake Forest before pulling out and committing to play in the Australian NBL," Boone writes. "He'll be 21 by the time of the next draft, but his tools as a combo forward and 3-point shooter are likely to impress teams, even if his counting stats don't pop off the page."
It's hard to see the Knicks taking two big men (especially with Mitchell Robinson and Isaiah Hartenstein currently filling those roles) or keeping both picks. But these are two prospects who could be on New York's radar as the draft conversations take place
