Getty Kevin McCullar Jr. of Kansas after a foul
While the 2024 NBA draft isn’t until June 27, the New York Knicks are still scouting talent to see who can help them. Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report released his 2024 NBA Mock Draft, which had the Knicks taking a Kansas star.
Wasserman has the Knicks drafting Kevin McCullar Jr. with the 17th pick, comparing him to Austin Reaves of the Los Angeles Lakers.
“While teams may have a difficult time detecting upside with Kevin McCullar Jr., he could be a popular target outside the lottery based on his coveted passing and defense and improving slashing and shotmaking,” Wasserman wrote.
“Staying around his current 37.7 three-point percentage and 85.2 free-throw percentage should help the senior to continue building scouts’ confidence in his shot. Having one that’s just threatening or average should be enough to play a supporting Swiss Army knife role.
The 22-year-old is old for the NBA draft, but teams have started to show interest in older players during the past few drafts. Contending teams, which the Knicks very well might be, don’t have the time for young talent to develop.
The Knicks Could Trade Their 2024 Pick
This trade deadline for the Knicks could be one of the biggest in the organization’s history. They already made a move to land OG Anunoby from the Toronto Raptors, but they’ve hinted at more.
Of the names who have been floating around, Karl-Anthony Towns and Dejounte Murray are the most prominent. If New York landed either of them, the 2024 pick would almost certainly be thrown in.
Towns, if moved, would be the piece the Knicks are looking for. After the Timberwolves traded for Rudy Gobert two years ago and gave up four first-round picks and a swap, they need to regain their lost assets.
Matt Moore of The Action Network reported the interest in Towns.
“The Knicks’ ability to deal all those draft picks certainly resets some of the cupboard the Wolves gave up for Rudy Gobert two years ago. But for a team looking to compete now, those picks don’t have as much value, especially given that few, if any, of them will become top-15 picks.”
Despite the potential of a prospect similar to Kevin McCullar Jr., New York is in a position to win and Towns fits that timeline.
Kevin McCullar Jr. Has Impressed at Kansas
The 6-foot-7 guard has had a great season for the Kansas Jayhawks, averaging 20.4 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 4.9 assists. He’s shooting 49.4% from the field and 37.7% from three-point range on more than 4 attempts per game.
McCullar has evolved as a player, averaging over 9 more points per game than his 2022-23 season average. Draft boards have had him as high as a lottery pick, although it remains to be seen if that’s going to be the case.
If the Knicks do add a player in the draft, this is the type of player they should be looking to add. Their draft history hasn’t been great in recent memory, which adds another component of trading the pick. With Towns and Murray. potentially available, adding the proven talent makes much more sense.