The New York Knicks will have to get creative in order to land the coveted LaMelo Ball in October’s draft. After not only failing to move up in the draft lottery but falling two spots to the No. 8 pick, the Knicks now have to decide if Ball is worth trading up in the draft for.
From an asset standpoint, the Knicks have an excess of first round draft picks, but those largely belong to the Clippers and Mavericks, two sides that will likely be playoff contenders for years moving forward. That means those picks likely will never be more than late firsts.
As a result, it may cost the Knicks more than just draft picks to land a top-three pick and a chance to draft Ball. Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley proposed a trade along those lines that would see the Knicks trade away Mitchell Robinson, Reggie Bullock and the No. 8 pick for Malik Monk and the No. 3 pick.
For Charlotte, it would allow them the chance to better balance their roster. With Devonte’ Graham and Terry Rozier already on the roster, Ball would have been a tough fit. With this trade, they could land a young center, swap a underwhelming youngster for a veteran in Bullock and still have the opportunity to add to the team’s roster further down the draft.
For New York, it would be tough parting with Robinson, who has been one of the bright spots for the team in recent gloomy seasons. But Robinson also has flaws in his game that could hinder his development in the long-term and now could be a decent chance to sell high if they don’t feel he’s a solid long-term piece. In swapping Bullock for Monk, the Knicks trade away a veteran guard for a chance at a young guard that was once a top prospect but has underperformed.
The cherry on top, though, is the No. 3 pick, which would be used to take Ball. Though because Ball is not guaranteed to fall to No. 3, this would be a trade that couldn’t be completed until the Hornets went on the clock on draft night. It also couldn’t be the Knicks only option as they would likely be in discussions with both Minnesota and Golden State for the top two picks.
But this provides an example of how New York could swing a trade that lands Ball but also doesn’t cost them a host of future draft picks.