NY Knicks Rumors: Willie Cauley-Stein, Karl-Anthony Towns, Jahlil Okafor Draft Favorites as Carmelo Anthony Pushes Rajon Rondo Deal with Langston Galloway

May 19, 2015 08:40 AM EDT
Willie Cauley-Stein
Former Kentucky star Willie Cauley-Stein pauses before shooting free throws in a home game."

The New York Knicks will soon find out exactly where their first-round draft pick falls as the team is guaranteed a top-five lottery pick while hoping it falls in the top four. According to the New York Post, team president Phil Jackson will trade the draft pick if it lands at No. 5 while potentially targeting a defender if it is in the top four picks. Jackson made it clear replacing Tyson Chandler is a priority and the pre-draft visits New York has set up certainly shows that.

According to ESPNNewYork.com, the Knicks have pre-draft workouts scheduled with Willie Cauley-Stein, Justise Winslow and Karl-Anthony Towns heading into the June 25 draft. All three of those players will be gone in the top five as teams like the Boston Celtics aim to move up and acquire one as well. All three are also defensive-minded players which is something that Jackson wants. During the NCAA Tournament, Jackson praised players like Towns and Jahlil Okafor while Winslow was recently spotted catching a New York Yankees game with Carmelo Anthony.

According to ESPN NBA Insider Chad Ford, the Knicks want a defensive star, but they are doing their homework on point guards. Right now, the Knicks are deciding whether or not to keep Jose Calderon and Langston Galloway around while intending to chase Rajon Rondo and Goran Dragic. That is not stopping them from eyeing rookies like D'Angelo Russell and Emmanuel Mudiay who Ford reports met with the Knicks during the NBA scouting combine in Chicago.

The interest in a point guard goes against what Anthony wants for New York. The leading scorer told the New York Post that he prefers having a veteran point guard in the starting spot over a rookie simply because he believes the point guard spot is harder to transition into for younger players. Anthony needs an elite point guard and he appears to favor Rondo or Dragic over a first-round pick.

All of these draft picks pair with the marquee free agent players New York is eyeing. According to Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com, the Knicks have a big wish list for the offseason that including LaMarcus Aldridge, Greg Monroe and potentially someone like DeMarre Carrolle. Who the Knicks draft will likely impact those decisions.

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