The New York Knicks are once again able to choose a lottery in the next draft of the NBA. The hype for LaMelo Ball has been immense, as the tip guard remains one of the best options for the next project.
While talking about Ball directed at the Knicks has been rampant, the chances of this happening seem to be slim if New York is unable to get one of the top five choices. There is a possibility that the Knicks will finish beyond the top five general selections and it will be difficult to predict whether Ball will slide so low.
Ball’s journey has been widely followed due to the popularity of his family. Older brother Lonzo was the second overall champion in the 2017 draft and is seen as one of the young guards in the booming league.
Father LaVar has become famous with his controversial statements and unique business decisions. Among these options are sending LaMelo to a professional career in Australia to play Illawarra Hawks.
LaMelo’s period in the National Basketball League highlighted the strengths of his younger brother Ball as a player. Scouts were impressed with the way LaMelo was able to dictate the rhythm of the floor with his elite court vision and clever guard movements. LaMelo averaged 17 points, 7.6 rebounds and 6.8 assists in the league.
The Knicks could use the services of an all-round guard like LaMelo as it is considered one of the best options to take in the beginner class. It will be difficult for the Knicks to secure it if the franchise falls to sixth place in the ranking or beyond. For SNY, trading with LaMelo would make sense for the organization if they were fully engaged in Ball.
“Since the Knicks need a guard point and Ball is currently at the top of the leaderboard, it makes sense to assume that they would be open to trading for him,” wrote Ian Begley.