NBA Draft Rumors: New York Knicks Expected To Pick Kevin Knox, But Might Trade Up To No. 4 For Mo Bamba

The New York Knicks may or may not be trading up in this year’s draft, as earlier reports had suggested, but if they go the latter route and remain at ninth overall, they appear to have some good choices at the forward position. With mere hours remaining before the 2018 NBA Draft, rumors are suggesting that the Knicks are interested in either Villanova’s Mikal Bridges, or Kentucky’s Kevin Knox.

Citing his inside sources, the New York Post’s Marc Berman wrote on Wednesday that Bridges, a “three-and-D” junior from Villanova who averaged 17.7 points and 5.3 rebounds in the 2017-18 season, might be the top favorite at No. 9 for the Knicks. However, more recent rumors behind the scenes now hint at New York leaning toward Knox, who played only one year for the Kentucky Wildcats and averaged 15.6 points and 5.4 rebounds.

“All signs point to Knox at No. 9, as it’s becoming widely assumed in NBA circles that he’s the top option for the Knicks given who will be available,” said ESPN’s Jonathan Givony, in a members’ only report cited by Daily Knicks.

“[Duke big man Wendell] Carter and [Missouri forward Michael] Porter are also very high on the Knicks’ draft board, sources say, but they might not fall this far.”

According to Daily Knicks, Carter and Porter might not be bad pickups either for the Knicks in the 2018 NBA Draft, due to their comparisons to Boston center Al Horford and Golden State forward Kevin Durant, respectively.

Earlier pre-2018 NBA Draft rumor surrounding the Knicks suggested that the team has plans to move up to No. 4 in the draft to select Mo Bamba, who put up averages of 12.9 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 3.7 blocked shots in his freshman season at Texas. According to CBS Sports, the rumor was first reported on Wednesday by ESPN’s Ian Begley, who tweeted that Knicks officials had already met with Bamba, and might be leaning toward acquiring the Memphis Grizzlies’ fourth overall pick to select the talented big man.

Begley’s tweet was soon echoed by another tweet from Givony, who agreed that the Knicks are “exploring the option of trading up” to No. 4, and added that the Grizzlies are actively looking for ways to dump injury-prone small forward Chandler Parsons’ big contract. However, New York might not be alone in coveting the former Longhorns center and wanting to trade up to acquire him. The Inquisitr reported earlier today that the Chicago Bulls, who have the No. 7 and No. 22 picks in this year’s NBA Draft, are interested in a trade-up for Bamba, though the team also seems to be keen on Porter, who played just three games last season for the Missouri Tigers due to back surgery.