Don’t look now Knicks fans, but it looks like your team is in the market to do some wheeling and dealing on the night of the NBA Draft.
It is being reported that the New York Knicks are interested in trading down from the four spot and that they are very interested in Murray State’s Cameron Payne.
The New York Knicks will work out Murray State’s Cameron Payne next week, and they’re interested in trading down from No. 4 in the draft to take him, according to ESPN’s Ian Begley.
League sources with knowledge of the team’s thinking say the Knicks are doing more than their due diligence by working out Payne; they are “serious” about considering him in the draft, those sources say.
Payne is widely viewed as a player who will be taken in the middle-to-late first round. So the Knicks’ interest in Payne and, to a lesser degree, their interest in Willie Cauley-Stein, is a sign that they are at least considering trading down from No. 4.
Both Knicks president Phil Jackson and GM Steve Mills have said that the organization would consider all of its options with the pick, including the possibility of trading down.
This might seem crazy on the surface, and I’ve argued in this space before that the Knicks shouldn’t overthink things. With Payne, though, New York could be doing something savvy. While he’s not a household name because he starred at Murray State, he’s climbed up draft boards for many good reasons. This is a point guard who plays with great pace, has a smooth stroke and is a deft passer. He’s also long and projects to be a good defender. I see absolutely nothing wrong with taking him in the top 10 — if the Knicks can trade down to get Payne plus another asset, that could be a huge win.
The Knicks will also reportedly work out Justise Winslow, Willie Caulie-Stein and Emmanuel Mudiay soon, and they’ve been linked to Trey Lyles as well. Good luck trying to predict what they do.
You have to often take reports like this with a grain of salt prior to the draft because they are often smokescreens. With that said, it seems that the Knicks could go a variety of ways with their draft pick come draft night and nobody seems to know which way they are going to go.
Buckle up Knicks fans, it’s going to be a bit of a wild ride from now until the card is handed to the commish.