Jason Burgos
A new rumor suggests the New York Knicks could make a bold trade up in this month’s NBA Draft. And a star from Michigan’s championship team could be the target.
The Knicks are just one win away from getting the franchise’s first championship in over 50 years. Obviously, the focus throughout the organization is on getting a win in Game 5 of the NBA Finals in San Antonio. However, despite being on the verge of a historic moment, other segments of the front office must look ahead to next season.
In just under two weeks, many of college basketball’s best players will head to Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY, on June 23 to find out which teams they will land with in the NBA Draft. This year’s draft class is deep, and the Knicks earn the 24th and 31st picks overall. Slots where they can land some nice role players with upside.
However, according to Heavy’s Sean Deveney, the Knicks could be aiming to add a higher value prospect in this month’s event.
“Beware the potential NBA champ Knicks as a potential move-up team. They have No. 24 overall but have No. 31, too, and have been working out players (Morez Johnson among them) who figure to not be around at No. 24.”
– Sean Deveney
Because this year’s draft class is so deep, having an early pick in Round 2 holds far more value than in years past. Packaging that and their selection at 24 would be a solid return for teams in the back half of Round 1. In various mock drafts, Johnson is projected to go anywhere between 12 and 18. So the Knicks would have to move up quite a bit just to have a chance at landing him.
In ways, Johnson is a larger version of Josh Hart. He was a major glue player during the Wolverines’ run to the national championship in March. Doing the dirty, physical work that they needed throughout their campaign. Furthermore, he can guard multiple positions on the floor.
During his sophomore season, he posted 13 points, seven rebounds, and a block a night. The 6-foot-9 big man has also shown he may be able to be a stretch big after showing some three-point capabilities at Michigan this season and during the NBA Draft combine.
