New York Knicks Select Dennis Smith In Latest Mock Draft From The Vertical

The New York Knicks select NC State point guard Dennis Smith No.7 overall in the latest mock draft from The Vertical.

The New York Knicks 2016-17 season did not go as planned. There were playoff aspirations when the team was being assembled during the offseason. The Knicks will fall well short of those expectations.

After losing to the Portland Trail Blazers, the Knicks record sits at a very poor 27-45. They are not mathematically eliminated from the postseason, but for all intensive purposes, they have been eliminated.

With that, the Knicks have already begun preparations for the offseason and 2017-18 season. The first thing on the docket for the Knicks is the 2017 NBA Draft.

Normally draft time is one void of much attention given to the Knicks. For what seems like forever the Knicks never had their own draft picks because it was traded away in a deal previously. In 2017, the Knicks actually own their first round pick. That makes the poor season a little easier to stomach because the Knicks have a shot at landing a difference maker in the draft.

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The last time the Knicks owned their first round pick and landed in the lottery it turned into Kristaps Porzingis. People are very excited about the potential Porzingis has and should be just as excited this year to add a potential cornerstone alongside him.

Right now, the Knicks have the sixth-worst record in the NBA. There is a chance that they can drop to as low as the fourth worst record; they are only one game better than the Orlando Magic right now. The Knicks would really have to crater to get much lower than that and have the Phoenix Suns, Los Angeles Lakers, and Brooklyn Nets hit hot streaks.

While the draft order is not yet set, it is never too early for some mock drafts. The Vertical released their latest mock draft for the 2017 NBA Draft and Knicks fans should be very happy with how it turned out.

With the seventh pick in the mock draft, The Vertical has the Knicks selecting North Carolina State point guard Dennis Smith. Here is what they had to say about the pick.

"With Derrick Rose’s tenure in New York unlikely to continue after this season, the Knicks will need to think about their future at point guard. Smith has the right temperament to handle the bright lights of Madison Square Garden, even if he’s far from an ideal fit for the triangle offense."

Right as Knicks fans were excited to see a player with the caliber of Smith drop into their laps, they read that last sentence and immediately get upset. If Smith isn’t an ideal fit for the triangle, it is tough to imagine the Knicks selecting him.

If there is one thing that has been consistent with Phil Jackson at the helm it is that the Knicks will be running the triangle. He has given lessons on the offense himself on the court despite confusion being a constant state for the Knicks this season.

The Knicks are committed to the triangle offense for next season, which could make their draft board look drastically different from mock drafts that people put together.

Smith had an outstanding season for the Wolfpack despite it not resulting in a visit to the NCAA Tournament. He led NC State with 18.6 points, 6.2 assists, and 1.9 steals per game. He also added 4.6 rebounds per game as the leading man for the Wolfpack.

There is a lot to like about Smith. His numbers speak for themselves and he brings a lot to the table. He is super athletic and does things you like to see a point guard do such as penetrate the defense and provide good court vision according to ESPN scouting.

But, the one thing that he needs to work on is improving his shooting. In the triangle, the most important thing for a point guard to do is shoot the ball. Should Smith’s shooting inconsistencies deter them from taking him?

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Many would say no. But, with how hard-headed the Knicks are with finding players to perfectly fit the triangle, they could miss out on a player such as Smith for a player that better fits an archaic offense that does not work in the modern NBA.

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