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New York Knicks: Four Options For No. 4 Pick In 2015 NBA Draft

By Kenneth Teape

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Fourth Option: Select Point Guard Emmanuel Mudiay

Mar 18, 2014; Dallas, TX, USA; Emmanuel Mudiay of Prime Prep Academy poses for a portrait. He is a finalist for the USA Today Player of the Year Award. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

There have been rumors swirling that Mudiay has been performing poorly in workouts leading up to the draft, causing his stock to drop a bit. One of the team’s workouts he supposedly struggled in was with the Knicks, which causes some people to think he is no longer on their radar. Even if that is the case, the Knicks should not throw away all of the scouting and work they have put into watching Mudiay previously because of what he did one day in a gym. If he is sitting at four, and the other prospects in Russell and Porzingis are gone, he should be the Knicks selection.

The Knicks are desperate for a playmaker at the point guard position, and Mudiay would bring that. He is extremely athletic, and coupled with his elite size at 6-feet-5 inches tall and 190 pounds, he would be handful for even the best defenders to stop. Like Russell, he would give the Knicks an advantage at the point guard position they have sorely lacked as they both deliver better than average size. Mudiay though is the supremely athletic player, which would bring an added dimension to the Knicks offense.

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Unlike Russell though, Mudiay does not have a consistent jump shot. Scouts say it is not a broken shot, just that he doesn’t repeat his form consistently, leading to some inconsistencies with his shot. It is something that could be worked on with practice. He makes up for his lack of jump shot with his athleticism, which would be the true asset here for the Knicks.

Mudiay’s size would be a nice addition to the Knicks backcourt, as he can play either on or off ball, enabling him to play alongside really any other guard they have on the roster. He is able to get to the foul line, something the Knicks desperately need as they struggled to get easy points too often last season, as Carmelo Anthony is really the only player capable of getting to the foul line with any consistency.

While Mudiay may not be an ideal fit for the Knicks because of his lack of outside shooting ability, his basketball IQ is high enough to make it work, and he has skills as a cutter without the ball in his hands. Both are important things to possess in the triangle offense, and with the condition of the Knicks roster, they can afford to take a player with the upside of Mudiay.

He is the darkhorse in this draft, as no one really knows what to expect as he decided against playing in college to play overseas in China last season. Because of that, some teams are hesitant to take him. It could be one of the reasons, along with a poor workout, he seems to be far behind the other prospects on the Knicks draft board at this time.

Next: Was A Knick The Top Athlete In New York In 2014?

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