You could almost hear the collective sign when the New York Knicks landed the fourth overall pick of the 2015 NBA draft. Fortunately for Knicks fans, the No. 4 pick doesn't spell disaster for the second worst team in the league. Why? Ohio State guard D'Angelo Russell could still be available at the No. 4 spot for Knicks president Phil Jackson, who can then go shopping in the center-rich NBA free-agent market in July.
Jackson's purported wish list had Kentucky center Karl-Anthony Towns at the top, with Duke center Jahlil Okafor following. Neither freshman is expected to be on the board after the first and second picks of the draft, but that doesn't mean all hope is lost for the Knicks. In fact, in a serendipitous way it still works out for New York - if Jackson doesn't miss out on Russell.
Towns and Okafor are widely expected to be the first two picks taken in the 2015 draft, leaving the 76ers - assuming they go for the next best player still available - to choose from Emmanuel Mudiay and Russell. Most mock drafts are split here, but I don't see Philadelphia passing on Mudiay. The Congo native's explosive speed and his ability to score have drawn him comparisons to Derrick Rose and John Wall. The 76ers not only land a player whom some scouts believe can be an elite point guard, they land a dynamic athlete who could go a long ways toward reinvigorating the Philadelphia fan base.
That - hopefully - leaves Russell on the board for the Knicks. New York needs doesn't need another scorer, especially with Tim Hardaway Jr. and Carmelo Anthony already seeming to vie for touches. Jackson needs a two-way point guard and Russell fits that mold. Russell can score and space the floor, but he can also pass incredibly well and his reportedly high basketball IQ could make him a promising fit for the triangle.
Yes, Jackson needs a center for his triangle offense, but he also needs a pass-first point guard. Given the scarce market for point guards in free agency this summer, landing the No. 4 pick and essentially being forced to choose a backcourt player - Jackson won't get much if he tries to trade the pick - could turn out to be a blessing in disguise. Jackson wants to win now, but with Rajon Rondo and Goran Dragic unlikely to sign in New York, he won't find that kind of guard in free agency.
Finding a big in free agency, though, is a different story. There's going to be center-rich market in July, and Jackson will have both his prestige and the cap space to throw a max-level deal out as bait. The potential list of free-agent bigs include Marc Gasol, Kevin Love (PF), LaMarcus Aldridge, Greg Monroe, Brook Lopez, Omer Asik, Roy Hibbert, Al Jefferson, Paul Millsap and DeAndre Jordan. For an upgrade at the forward spot opposite of Anthony, Jackson likely will have enough cap space to offer a $10 million to $12 million annual salary to free agent such as Tobias Harris, DeMarre Carroll or - for less money - Brandon Bass.
For a more specific breakdown of the free-agent bigs, in terms of who is and who isn't a realistic possibility for the Knicks, read my piece here. But in short: Jackson will have a much better chance of landing a ready-to-win big in free agency than he will of landing a ready-to-win point guard in free agency.
The 2015 NBA draft is on June 25, and NBA free agency starts a week later on July 1. Players with options for next season must inform their teams of what they plan to do before the end of June.
