While the Knicks had hopes of landing the No. 1 overall pick in November's 2020 NBA Draft, they currently find themselves in possession of the eighth overall pick.

The team could always try to trade up, or maybe even acquire assets to trade back. And while standing pat at No. 8 may be the least exciting move, the Knicks could still land a talented rookie in that spot.

So let's take a look at some of the pros and cons of potential draft options for the Knicks, whether it's through moving up or staying in the eighth spot, continuing with USC power forward/center Onyeka Okongwu.

The case for drafting Okongwu

At 6-foot-9, 235 pounds with a recorded wingspan of 7-foot-2, Okongwu's athleticism is through the roof. In his one season at USC, the power forward/center averaged 16.2 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 2.7 blocks.

What he lacks in pure height as an undersized center, he more than makes up for with his length and leaping ability, making him an elite shot-blocker at the college level. He can also easily body up smaller forwards or blow by bigger ones on his way to the hoop, and he knows how to finish around the rim.

Though he mainly played the center role in college, he likely translates as a power forward in the NBA, and with Julius Randle seemingly not a long-term option for the Knicks at that spot, Okongwu could be a nice fit alongside Mitchell Robinson in the frontcourt, giving the Knicks a tremendous duo of young, athletic rim protectors.

An argument can be made that the Knicks have potential long-term pieces at other positions on the roster, such as Robinson at center, RJ Barrett at the wing, and Frank Ntilikina and/or Dennis Smith Jr. at point guard. But outside of Robinson, the Knicks have a few frontcourt options that could be around for a while, with players like Bobby Portis and Taj Gibson seeing significant minutes in 2019-20. The Knicks need to get younger and find long-term answers down low, and Okongwu fits the bill.

And while Tom Thibodeau can say his offensive system is just as important as his team's defense, the truth seems to be that that new Knicks' head coach seems to always lean towards the defensive end. That could make Okongwu the perfect fit at No. 8.

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