2012 NBA Draft: Potential Second Round Targets for the New York Knicks
By Matt Shetler
As it stands right now, the New York Knicks will have only one chance to add to the current roster by ways of June’s NBA Draft
With no first-round pick and the Knicks not drafting until No. 48 overall, selecting the right guy becomes very important for general manager Glen Grunwald. Bringing in a rookie that can contribute a little can go a long way to not only improving depth on the club for next season, but also will help the Knicks stay younger for the future.
Grunwald drafted Josh Harrleson in the second round a year ago and with this being a very deep draft, he may have even more luck with this pick.
Here’s a look at a few guys the Knicks should target with their second-round pick come June 30.
Herb Pope, Seton Hall
Adding a power forward with Pope’s skill set would be a steal this late in the draft. He’s a scorer and a relentless rebounder, averaging 15.2 points and 10.3 assists per game during his senior season at Seton Hall.
He’s very athletic and is a guy that could be developed for the future. Pope has first round type talent and it’s likely doubtful he slips that far down in the second round, but stranger things have happened.
Alex Young, IUPUI
Young is a scorer, averaging 20.4 PPG during his senior season. Depending on what happens to the Knicks depth at the 2-guard spot this offseason, they may be forced to address that need through the draft.
He can fill it up, but I worry about Young’s perimeter shot being a little bit inconsistent. He shot 40 percent from behind the arc as a sophomore, but that number dipped all the way down to 34 percent as a senior.
JaMychael Green, Alabama
Green is a solid power forward who averaged 14.0 points and 7.4 rebounds per game as a senior. He’s 6’9″ and can give the Knicks a lift on the defensive end of the floor, blocking 1.5 shots per game.
He has a lot of upside due to his length, explosiveness and aggressiveness and while he may need to add some muscle, Green could be a project worth taking a shot on.
Mike Scott, Virginia
Scott really opened up some eyes towards the end of the season and finished his senior year averaging 18.1 points and 8.3 rebounds per game.
He was at Virginia for five seasons and improved as a player every single one of then. Scott is 6’8″, 230 pounds and is a strong, physical, low-post player with a non-stop motor. Scott will turn 24 this year and is undersized, but other than those drawbacks, he’s a competitor who has score and rebound.
Robert Sacre, Gonzaga
Sacre makes a lot of sense as the Knicks need frontcourt depth and he can slide in as the backup to Tyson Chandler.
He averaged 11.3 points and 7.6 rebounds per game at Gonzaga, but he’s a guy who’s very long and can block shots and rebounds, which is important as we saw how much different the Knicks defense was when Chandler wasn’t on the floor.
Sacre also has a soft touch around the rim, shooting 51 percent from the floor. He’s a all-around good player that could provide good value in the second round.
Kevin Murphy, Tennessee Tech
If the Knicks are looking for scoring, they can’t go wrong with a guy like Murphy.
Murphy can play the 2 or the 3 and is one of the better pure scorers in this draft class, averaging 20.6 PPG on the season, including a 50-point game. He’s a great shooter with range and also has an outstanding first step.
Murphy’s a fluid athlete with excellent length. He’s a very fun player to watch.
Kim English, Missouri
Fans didn’t get to see enough of English in the NCAA Tournament as Missouri was upset in the first round, but the guy is a shooter. He has a quick release an unlimited range, averaging 14.5 points and shooting 46 percent from behind the arc, but that’s really all he does well.
English is almost a Steve Novak-type of player. His ability to shoot the ball will keep him in the NBA, but he’s not a guy that can create his own shot, nor is he a great athlete, but the guy can shoot the ball.
Henry Sims, Georgetown
I’m a fan of the Knicks going with frontcourt depth in this draft and Sims is another possibility.
Sims stands 6’10”, weighs 242 pounds and is a very good athlete. He’s very good 15-feet in, shooting 46 percent from the floor. Sims has good hands and is very athletic, but he isn’t very physical and isn’t a great rebounder, pulling down only 6.0 rebounds per game on the season.