With the 2020 NBA Draft is only a couple of weeks away, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski appeared on the latest episode of SNY's The Putback with Ian Begley to discuss a multitude of Knicks talk, including what might happen on Nov. 18.
Begley has been reporting the Knicks are looking into all options with their No. 8 overall pick, which includes trading up for better draft position.
Players like Anthony Edwards, LaMelo Ball and James Wiseman are the expected Top 3 choices, in no particular order, and the Knicks could use any of their talents.
But at what price? Woj thinks that the normal haul it would take to trade up that far might be less now.
"I think both Minnesota, Golden State are looking — they’re very open to moving those picks if they can find a deal that makes sense," Wojnarowski said. "So I think it will be an exciting draft night leading up to it.
"I do think it would be less. I think for Golden State, if they’re going to move, it’s more likely in a deal where they’re bringing in perhaps a high-level player that can help them win more now. I think they’d be fine with moving down in the draft if there was a really good veteran player they could acquire. I’m not sure that deal is there for the Warriors right now.”
If Woj's theory is correct, the Knicks might not be looking at the Warriors at No. 2. They have solid young talent but not the "high-level player" there.
But overall, Woj isn't really expecting much to happen on the trading up front.
"I don’t think there’s an appetite for guys to move up to [No.] 1 or 2. I think of teams like the Charlottes and Chicagos, Detroit, New York, all of those teams in the next grouping of teams. Maybe there’s a spot or two to move up for a particular player.
“There’s some really good players in that next tier.”
Wojnarowski mentioned PG Tyrese Haliburton and PF Obi Toppin -- both players that have been linked to the Knicks in mock drafts -- as those next-tier players who can make a very good impact from the jump.
There is still time for the rumor mill to keep churning leading up to the draft, as teams start to gauge interest in moving picks around. But Woj thinks that might happen in the middle of the pack. The top picks, he feels, will be staying pat at the moment.
“I do think there will be a lot of action, I just don’t think it’ll be one, two, three leading into the draft or on draft night," he said.