Do the Knicks have their sights set on a draft target?
New York is reportedly keen to snag Kentucky guard Tyrese Maxey next month -- and might even trade back before potentially selecting him.
Knicks brass are willing to trade back from the eighth overall pick, according to Marc Berman of the New York Post -- because top prospects LaMelo Ball and James Wiseman are likely to be long gone by the time the Knicks are on the clock.
Rather than linger in relative no man's land, according to the report, the Knicks are weighing a trade back to the 12-15 range, which is roughly the higher range of where Maxey is projected to come off the board in most mocks. The Knicks hope to acquire a young player still on his rookie contract in exchange for the No. 8 pick, the report said.
The Knicks have links to the University of Kentucky, where Maxey played one year before declaring himself eligible for the NBA Draft, through new assistant coach Kenny Payne and Senior vice president William Wesley, Berman reported.
Payne, a former Kentucky assistant, was hired by new Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau, while Wesley is a "close advisor" to Wildcats coach John Calipari and a prominent supporter of the program.
Maxey, who turns 20 on Nov. 5, is a combo guard who clocks in around 6-foot-3 and 200 pounds. He averaged 14 points in nearly 35 minutes per game as a freshman, but struggled from deep (29%) and shot only 43% from the floor overall. His athleticism and energy stand out, but there's a lot of room for growth in decision- and shot-making.