While popular belief is that the New York Knicks are going to take a guard with their number 4 overall pick in the 2015 NBA draft, Kentucky forward Trey Lyles is also an option, although might be a bit of a reach that high.
A lot of names have been thrown around regarding who the Knicks are going to take. D’Angelo Russell, Emmanuel Mudiay, Willie Cauley-Stein. But Lyles? Someone who is projected to be a top 20 pick at best?
Turns out Phil Jackson really loves Lyles in his vision of a triangle offense. The 6’10 power forward averaged 8.7 points and 5.2 rebounds per game in under 24 minutes a night, but Kentucky was loaded with talent last season, playing an incredible amount of first and second year talent that meant for most of the season, no one was getting too many minutes.
Lyles actually broke out midway through the season, playing a lot of small forward minutes. He can even play as a center in certain small ball lineups, but with the Knicks, it doesn’t really matter. They need help in any possible way, and Lyles, who has a very wide range of skills on both ends of the floor, can be a very useful addition.
The question that remains is whether the Knicks trade down for Lyles and try to get an extra pick, risking they lose him to someone else, or go with him at the number four overall spot, which right now seems like something of a reach for this player? They can always just go with someone else, but if Jackson is enamored with him, it’s going to be him, regardless of when he’s picked.