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Knicks Rumors: Acquiring A First Round Pick Is The Plan

By Kenneth Teape

Dec 16, 2015; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks general manager Phil Jackson looks on during a stop in play against the Minnesota Timberwolves during the first half of an NBA basketball game at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 16, 2015; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks general manager Phil Jackson looks on during a stop in play against the Minnesota Timberwolves during the first half of an NBA basketball game at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports /
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New York Knicks Rumors: The Knicks currently do not own a selection in the 2016 NBA Draft, but desire to trade into the first round.

New York Knicks rumors are going to pick up in the coming weeks as the NBA Playoffs are winding down and the offseason is close to starting. The offseason began for the Knicks multiple weeks ago, and their biggest hurdle was cleared when they found a new head coach in Jeff Hornacek.

With a head coach now in place, the Knicks will focus on improving their roster. The focus is currently on free agency, as the Knicks do not own a pick in the 2016 NBA Draft. But, if the Knicks have their way, that will change between now and draft night on June 23rd.

According to ESPN New York’s Ian Begley, the Knicks are hoping to trade into the draft. He says that a late-first round pick is the best case scenario for the Knicks right now, and that a second round pick being acquired is more likely.

President Phil Jackson has acquired a number of draft picks during his tenure as head coach, a change for the organization as they had been trading them away more than acquiring them in recent history. But in the previous two drafts Jackson has managed to add draft picks.

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In 2013, Jackson landed two second round picks that turned into Cleanthony Early and Thanasis Antetokounmpo from a trade with the Dallas Mavericks. Last year Jackson was able to trade for Jerian Grant from the Atlanta Hawks in exchange for Tim Hardaway Jr. and also acquired a second round pick from the Philadelphia 76ers that the Knicks used to select Kristaps Porzingis‘ former teammate in Guillermo Hernangomez.

Jackson has a track record of acquiring picks, and he should be able to do it again this season if that is indeed what the Knicks want to do. It seems that is their plan, as they have already held workouts and interviews for players despite not owning a pick currently.

The Knicks reportedly plan to put Indiana point guard Yogi Ferrell through a workout, while also interviewing Kansas guard Wayne Selden during the NBA Combine. Ferrell and Selden both have attributes that would be attractive to the Knicks.

Ferrell was in a class of his own last season, averaging 17.3 points, 5.6 assists and shooting 42 percent from the three-point line, plateaus that no other player in the NCAA reached last season. Selden, who stands 6-feet-6 inches tall, would fit the mold of the big guards that Jackson likes to have on the roster.

The Knicks have also reportedly shown interest in St. Bonaventure guard Marcus Posley, and two local products in Seton Hall and Brooklyn’s own Isaiah Whitehead and Syracuse’s Malachi Richardson.

Next: New York Knicks 2015-16 Team Grades

We will have to wait and see what the Knicks do, but one thing we are pretty certain about is that it will be a guard that they target; every player they have been rumored to be interested in is a guard of some sort, and that makes sense. Guard is easily the weakest part of the Knicks roster currently, and should receive a lot of attention this offseason for an upgrade.

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