The New York Knicks had a disappointing Tuesday night at the NBA Draft lottery, and general manager Steve Mills admitted as much. Mills, who hung his head when the Knicks received the No. 4 pick, tried to remain as positive as possible when talking to reporters afterward. He said it wasn't a setback and the team would have many options, via Newsday's Al Iannazzone:
At No. 4, the Knicks could choose between Ohio State guard D'Angelo Russell or point guard Emmanuel Mudiay, who played in China last season. That is, if the Knicks keep the pick. [Phil] Jackson alluded to them moving it if the Knicks dropped, and Mills didn't rule out that option with the Knicks needing veteran help.
"I think we're going to be open to a lot of things," Mills said. "We know we can get a good player at this pick. We're also going to be open to talking to teams and looking at different options."
This is where New York fans get a little scared. The history of the franchise suggests that the front office will try to take shortcuts in the rebuilding process, dealing young players and picks away for veterans. While that strategy is somewhat understandable given that the team is in the Eastern Conference and employs Carmelo Anthony, it is rather risky. The best bet for the Knicks to have sustained success is to select a potentially great player who can be a part of their core. Even though they dropped to the fourth pick, that option is still very much on the table.
There were already rumblings that New York would explore trade possibilities if it didn't get a top-two pick. As we've said before, there's nothing wrong with talking to teams and finding out who is available. The Knicks just better be careful here -- rushing things has had disastrous consequences for them in the past.
