The Knicks could be looking to add their next piece of the puzzle from Down Under.
According to Marc Berman of The New York Post, the Knicks are considering RJ Hampton in the NBA Draft if their lottery pick falls between sixth and 10th.
Hampton, a 6-foot-5 19-year-old guard, was a five-star recruit out of Dallas but opted to sign a contract with the New Zealand Breakers of the National Basketball League in Australia instead of playing in college.
Knicks president Leon Rose had even pursued Hampton as a potential client for Creative Artists Agency before accepting the Knicks job.
Hampton's stats with the Breakers were hardly impressive, averaging 8.8 points, 2.4 assists, 3.8 rebounds, 1.1 steals and shot 40 percent from the floor in 15 games before his season was cut short with a hip injury.
Yet, many believe the ceiling is high for the former five-star recruit, who will need time for development for whichever team selects him.
Hampton played point in the NBL, but he has versatility to play other positions. However, he lacks a 3-point shot, shooting just 29.5 percent from beyond the arc, and pairing him in the backcourt with RJ Barrett, who also struggles from 3-point range, would certainly be a concern.
One of the other challenges facing Hampton is that there is currently no draft combine or individual workouts leading up to the draft that could potentially help raise his stock. The Knicks had planned to visit Australia/New Zealand to scout both Hampton and LaMelo Ball – another projected lottery pick – but both of their seasons ended early.
Because of this, it is possible Hampton slides out of the lottery during the NBA Draft. The Knicks do have a second first-round pick, at No. 27, and could potentially grab him there if he is expected to fall.
Of course, the pre-draft process could still theoretically happen if the draft itself is postponed.
As with all things NBA right now, everything is fluid and while the draft is still slated for June 25, a postponement seems likely. The league has already postponed the draft lottery indefinitely.
The Knicks have the sixth-worst record in the NBA and a 37.2 percent chance of landing in the top four picks. They have a 50.4 percent chance to draft seventh or eighth, while Hampton is projected by many draft analysts as a borderline top-10 pick.
