Jaden Ivey 2022 NBA Draft Profile: Sources weigh in on how he'd fit with Knicks

The Knicks have the 11^th pick in the 2022 NBA Draft. As we get closer to June 23, we are going to take a look at a few prospects who could be a fit for New York. Here’s a look at Jaden Ivey…

IS IT POSSIBLE?

Ivey won’t be available at No. 11 on draft night. So the Knicks would need to trade up to select the 6-5 guard. How high would New York need to go in order to get Ivey? That’s unclear.

Something worth noting: Members of the organization have sought information on which teams have strong interest in Ivey. So, at the very least, they have interest in where Ivey may go in the draft.

Some mock drafts predict Ivey will go to the Sacramento Kings at No. 4.

The Knicks, as noted earlier this month, have been open to moving up in the draft. It’s fair to assume that New York would have to part with significant assets to acquire Sacramento’s No. 4 pick.

The Kings traded for Domantas Sabonis, so Julius Randle doesn’t seem like a natural fit on the roster. What about RJ Barrett? I’m sure Sacramento would love to get him in a trade, but it would be shocking if New York included him in a trade to move up in a draft.

The goal would be to add young talent alongside the 22-year-old Barrett.

So the best the Knicks could reasonably offer is multiple first-round picks and a young player (Immanuel Quickley, Obi Toppin, Cam Reddish, Quentin Grimes, etc.).

Looking at the roster, one of New York’s biggest needs is a dynamic guard. You don’t need to be James Naismith to reach that conclusion. But that opinion is held internally as well.

So Ivey could potentially fill that void for New York. But is the trade up for Ivey worth sending out multiple picks and at least one young player? 

FIT WITH NYK?

For insight on Ivey and how he may fit with the Knicks, we turned to an NBA scout (who wished to remain anonymous), Shawn Farmer (a longtime trainer to NBA and NCAA players) and Cory Underwood, a former G League player who had a brief stint with the 76ers.

UNDERWOOD: We know he’s explosive. That goes without saying. He’s great in transition. I think he’s probably best alongside a guy that can handle the ball versus him being the primary ball handler, even though I think he could do it. All young guys, I think it’s tough when you put them in that predicament from Day One. So I think he’ll be great with somebody who could equally handle the ball.

He rebounded pretty well out of his position, the passing came from his aggressiveness on offense. Clearly he’s at his best in transition.

The No. 1 thing for him to work on for me is playing at different speeds. Playing fast in transition or going slow to fast, fast to slow.

NBA SCOUT: I’m not sold on his shooting but he’s a blur – (Russell) Westbrook-type speed. If you want to get out and run, he’s your guy. I have long-terms concerns about his shot, though.

FARMER: Outstanding character. Can disrupt defenses. Another son of a coach, so he has a great IQ. He’s 6-6. Those guys can do a lot of damage on both ends. He can get to the basket with the best of them.

My reservation about him is he doesn’t shoot it that well. I think he improves, but I’ve been around a lot of guys that couldn’t shoot in college; they still couldn’t shoot in the NBA. Can you improve? Absolutely. But it’s hard.

UNDERWOOD: Spacing and shooting is still a big, big thing for (the Knicks). But they’re also missing that athletic guard who is going to push the tempo for these guys and take it to the next level. A guy that’s going to get in those gaps, push in transition, knock down an open three, take the pressure off of RJ (Barrett) and Julius (Randle). It’s just spacing.

You need a guy who’s going to make life easier for those guys and (make teams pay) for sagging. Darvin Ham used to always say this to me when he coached me in the G League. ‘Elbows and boxes.’ Guys like playing elbows and boxes (on defense), sagging on the wings. You’ve got to have somebody who’s going to make them pay. You can see them making it work with him for sure. Even though he’s not a crazy shooter, he’s respectable, and he’s just going to get better (in the NBA) when basketball is your job. He’ll definitely improve the shooting. If I’m the GM of the Knicks, we’re going to make it work (laughs).”

FARMER: This is the one I love. I love this fit for the Knicks. The reason I say that is because of the inconsistent guard play. You have D-Rose who is aging. You’ve got Immanuel (Quickley), who is still developing. Looking at that roster, looking at film on him, he’d be my guy for the Knicks. I think he fits perfectly.

SCOUT: With where they are, they just need to add talent. If they can land (Ivey), they should do it. You find a way to make it fit.