The NBA draft is still months away, but it’s never too early to start to get a head start on watching the prospects and seeing what could be the next rookie to don a Knicks jersey. And with the NCAA Tournament tipping off Tuesday night, it’s the perfect time to go over some of the most promising prospects that the Knicks could realistically target with their late first-round pick.
Morez Johnson Jr., PF/C, Michigan, Sophomore
First up is a name that has come up a few times when talking about potential targets for the Knicks, and that is Morez
Johnson Jr. The sophomore power forward from Michigan has been seen going as high as 18th on mock drafts, but the majority of analysts seem to think that he’ll fall to the 25-30 range, which is around where the Knicks will likely make their selection. Johnson has made headlines this season as one of, if not the best, and most versatile frontcourt defenders this year. He’s been a great perimeter defender despite his larger frame, and already has an NBA-ready body, showing off incredible strength, to go along with the kind of wingspan that modern scouts love. He’s averaging 1.1 BPG and 0.7 SPG, and with Johnson in the vicinity, players are shooting just 33% on 155 shot attempts, and just 25% on jumpers this season.
Scoring-wise, Johnson has shown some nice post moves, although he may not get many looks from there in the league due to his height. And his lack of leaping ability limits his ability as a roll man. But the sophomore uses his high motor to score on cuts and rim running on fastbreaks at an exceptional rate.
Another area where he shines is rebounding and screening. Like a lot of the big men the Knicks have prioritized recently, Johnson is a good rebounder. His motor, strength, and positioning make him a real threat on the defensive and offensive glass, and it’s helped him both defensively and offensively via putback attempts.
Johnson currently lacks the shooting volume and the playmaking ability to wow scouts, but that’s also why he’s likely to go late in the first round. Chances are, if he had all of the aforementioned tools along with better shooting and more floor-reading, he’d be a lottery pick. While he has some clear weaknesses in his game right now, Johnson, who some scouts have compared to Isaiah Stewart of the Pistons, could be a nice pick-up for a Knicks team that could use someone with so much defensive versatility.
Aday Mara, C, Michigan, Sophomore
Next up is Johnson’s teammate and front-court mate, Aday Mara, who many have compared to former Cavaliers player, Zydrunas Ilgauskas. Also projected to go late in the first round, the 7’3” center from Michigan is a unique player. He doesn’t possess some of the upside, the elite athleticism, or the lights-out shooting of some other prospects. But what he lacks on those fronts, he makes up for with his passing, finishing, rim protection, and obviously, size.
Mara is an incredibly skilled big man who possesses a great feel for the game and has the kind of big man passing that head coach Mike Brown would undoubtedly love to work with. He can give you long, crisp outlets off of rebounds, be a hub in dribble handoffs, face up and wait for cutters, or lobs, and he can kick out to shooters on short rolls. Mara can also shoot it from the mid range, and should be able to expand his range to the three-point line with some time and work. As a finisher, he possesses elite touch with floaters and layups, but he’s missed a few more dunks than you’d like to see, likely as a product of his needing to get a bit stronger.
Defensively, his presence in the paint, both as a shot blocker and rebounder, is undeniable. He’s blocking 2.8 shots per game on just 22.8MPG this season, which rounds out to 6.6 blocks per 100 possessions. At Michigan, he’s been tasked with playing drop coverages often, where he’s actually shown some good feel for where to be, and when. And he’s held the roller to just 27% shooting on 30 attempts this year.
Mara’s biggest weakness comes from the aforementioned lack of strength, which could, and likely should, improve with him, as well as his lack of elite athleticism. Both of these things do pose some concerns as to whether he can be a valid day one contributor, especially if teams can either bully him or consistently draw him out to the perimeter defensively. That kind of weakness could lead to him being viable only in certain situations or against very specific teams. But a 7’3” prospect with this kind of passing, game feel, and touch doesn’t come around often, and given Brown’s love for running offenses through a big man as a hub, it could be worth it for the Knicks to give him a look.
Flory Bidunga, C, Kansas, Sophomore
Bidunga is another interesting prospect. He is still somewhat new to the American game, and you can see it from time to time. But at 6’10” with a solid frame, he’s been a good and incredibly athletic player who can play above the rim relatively easily. To go along with his elite athleticism, he has great reaction times and instincts that allow him to be both a big-time rim runner as well as a defensive menace.
Offensively, he can really do a little bit of everything. When not galloping on fastbreaks, he has a lefty hook over his right shoulder and has a solid mid-range shot. Some scouts even believe that there’s a chance he could extend his range to the NBA three-point line with some time and patience. But the big man still feels most at home when near the dunker spot, where he can be a lob threat or be an explosive and physical monster. Bidunga has also shown that he has decent ball-handling skills in the open court and can even push the ball up the court on occasion.
What really has limited Bidunga as a prospect, though, is his overall offensive potential and occasional foul troubles. While his jumper isn’t completely broken, there’s still not much confidence that he’ll ever turn into a reliable and consistent outside shooter. That, along with his propensity to pick up fouls eagerly attempting blocks, has worried some scouts. If the Knicks lose Mitchell Robinson, Bidunga could be an interesting replacement, and even if he ends up staying, Bidunga could learn a lot from Robinson, who struggled a lot with fouls himself.
Dailyn Swain, SG/SF, Texas, Juniors
Dailyn Swain, the 6’8” wing on Texas, could give the Knicks some much-needed athleticism and size coming off the bench. The 20-year-old has shown some very nice defensive versatility, being able to guard point guards, shooting guards, and small forwards. It is important to note, though, that like Mikal Bridges, Swain can sometimes struggle a bit with the quicker point guards, leaving some questions on how he’ll be able to handle being a primary point-of-attack defender.
In transition is where he really excels. Many times this year, Swain has shown that he can lead the break as the ball handler or wreak havoc running down the sidelines. In the half-court, if and when he gets downhill, Swain is also a very strong attacker who isn’t afraid to finish with either hand. And even when the pace settles, his high IQ allows him to be a great connector on the offensive end, as he’s proven he’s a smart and reliable passer. While he cannot be a primary ball-handler, he could likely be a reliable secondary ball-handler without much trouble.
That being said, Swain still leaves a lot to be desired on the shooting front. He often lacks the confidence to let it fly, and even when he does, he often looks either off balance or doesn’t follow through with much conviction. And that lack of aggression can sometimes pour over into the rest of his offensive game. When there aren’t as many fastbreak or driving opportunities for Swain, he can disappear for stretches. In a league where rookies don’t get that much time to begin with, it could be hard for Swain if he doesn’t find a way to become and stay more aggressive consistently.
That being said, New York lacks real size on the wings outside of OG Anunoby and Bridges. Swain won’t be the shooter either of them is, but his connective playstyle and defensive versatility could give the Knicks a breath of fresh air.
Isaiah Evans, SG/SF, Duke, Sophomore
Isaiah Evans is a 6’6” wing who, even at his young age, is already a three-level scorer. He has confidence and range, and combines a high release point with a quick release and length to shoot over defenders, making him one of the most fearless and scary shooters in all of college basketball. While he’s been asked to play a limited role on Duke this season, he’s also been touted as a skilled mid-range scorer, as well as a good finisher around the rim. He doesn’t always have an easy time getting by his initial defender, as he isn’t incredibly quick, and he can sometimes be prone to taking bad shots. But between his shooting and slowly, but surely, improving playmaking, there’s a lot to like.
Defensively, while he still needs to add some strength and fill out his frame, he has a very long and wiry frame that allows him to be very disruptive in the passing lanes. Some have mentioned that he needs to continue doing a better job of consistently locking in on the defensive end, but when he is bought in on that end, he plays tough and is not afraid of contact.
He may lack the elite athleticism and quick first steps that often come with being high upside picks, but I think that if he had gone to a different college and played a larger role, there’s a world in which he’s a lottery pick. If the Knicks are ok with taking a player who may not be able to contribute too much in year number one, Evans could be a great buy-low option as he is still young, and has shown some very nice flashes.
