The Knicks need a point guard and local product Cole Anthony may be the best prospect for the job. While it’s possible it will be drafted higher up the board, there’s a good chance it will drop. Anthony entered this past season as a seemingly safe lottery pick. However, a partially torn meniscus in his right knee depressed his stock somewhat.
We know the Knicks did a lot of homework on Anthony during the college season. What we don’t know is whether this means that the new front office, which has since added scouting guru Walt Perrin to staff, sees him high enough to target him with the lottery.
If it becomes clear that Anthony is in danger of falling back in the first round, he could be a great low-cost prospect with high-end potential. The 6 foot 3 guard is an aggressive scorer who can score in a variety of ways with basketball in his hands. Anthony would give the Knicks a real alpha in their lineup, which has been missing since another Anthony was dispatched from New York (apologies to Kristaps Porzingis).
Last season, playing for North Carolina, Cole finished second in isolation scoring, fifth in transition scoring and sixth in getting the ball into the basket from the pick and roll. Whether he’s creating shots for himself or serving his teammates (he averaged 4 assists last season), he knows how to generate offense and set the pace.