Knicks Daily Roundup 4/10: Thoughts on Lauri as a Knick, Killian Hayes' Potential, and More
-It's common in the modern NBA for young stars to become disgruntled with their current situations. This has created opportunities for teams to make trades, like Kawhi Leonard to the Raptors, Anthony Davis to the Lakers, and ironically enough, Kristaps Porzingis to the Mavericks. The Knicks usually don't have the assets to make such a trade, but they could find themselves in the position to make such a move.
While not on the same level as the aforementioned stars, it looks like Lauri Markkanen's time in Chicago could be coming to an end. If the Knicks decide they want to trade for established players to avoid a full-on tank, young players with that fit on their timeline like Markkanen are the ones to target. Ashwin Ramnath, Jon Schulman and Drew Steele from Posting and Toasting wrote all about Markkanen, why he regressed this past season, how he'd fit with the Knicks, and at what price should the Knicks attempt to acquire him.
-Point guards and prospects are on the minds of Knicks fans and front office members, and it's likely the team will try to kill two birds with one stone in the draft. Several lottery-bound point guards have been mentioned for the Knicks, including here at Knicks SI with our mock drafts. While LaMelo Ball has become a favorite in some circles, an international player could be more realistic if the Knicks remain at their current draft slot (6).
The Athletic's Mike Vorkunov wrote about Killian Hayes from France, and why he could be the answer the Knicks are looking for. Hayes blends scoring and playmaking abilities with his excellent size for a point guard to form a tantalizing package. The Knicks drafted a French point guard a few years ago, and while the results have been mixed, Hayes would be a fine consolation prize if New York misses out on Ball.
-A champion has been crowned! Lauren Russell and Kris Pursiainen squared off in the finals of the Knicks SI 2K20 Fantasy Tournament. It was a battle between some of the best Knicks of all time (Patrick Ewing, Bernard King, and Earl Monroe) and some players that Knicks fans may want to forget (Kristaps Porzingis, Julius Randle, and Elfrid Payton). Read more on the matchup and see which Knicks SI writer created the ultimate Knicks' squad and took home the (fantasy) Larry O'Brien trophy.
