How did the Orlando Magic’s rivals fare in the NBA Draft?
By Joe Buckley
New York Knicks
Well, where to begin.
The draft is probably the best thing to consider first. The New York Knicks had three picks overall but just one in the first round at No. 8 where they selected guard Frank Ntilikina.
Ntilikina is one of the rare picks in the draft almost guaranteed to start (although that is heavily related to the Knicks having few other options), so it is already a tough ask for an 18-year-old guard debuting in New York City. And at point guard no less.
Here is hoping he knows the triangle.
Unfortunately for hungry Knicks fans, most critics class Ntilikina as a “safe” or “future” pick. Not exactly what they need right now.
But that is not what made news for much of draft night.
Onto the big elephant/unicorn in the room.
The Knicks blatantly dangled promising forward Kristaps Porzingis in the lead up to the draft. It has become abundantly clear the lone bright spark for the Knicks is now, like his co-star Carmelo Anthony, very disgruntled with the franchise.
No one expected the Knicks to have an amazing offseason, it is the Knicks after all. But to see them push out Porzingis is the surprise of the summer.