2014 NBA Draft Recap

Knicks Trade into the Second Round

            The Knicks were one of many teams to enter this draft with no picks in either the first or second rounds. However, a trade with the Dallas Mavericks sent Tyson Chandler and Raymond Felton to Dallas in exchange for Jose Calderon, Samuel Dalembert, Shane Larkin, Wayne Ellington, and Dallas’ two second round picks (numbers 34 and 51).

            With the 34^th pick, the Knicks selected Wichita State’s Cleanthony Early. Leading up to the draft, Early seemed to be a mid to late first round selection but, for unknown reasons, dropped to the second round. When the 34^th pick came up I was hoping the Knicks would select one of two players. Spencer Dinwiddie out of Colorado was one of them and Early was the other. Anyone who leads their team to an undefeated season entering the NCAA tournament should get serious consideration and I think Early was a great pick at the top of the second round. He is not going to be the focal point of an NBA team like he was at Wichita State, but his scoring ability and aggressiveness could keep him in the league for a while. He is going to bring a lot of energy to the Knicks and I think New York will embrace him soon after he steps foot on the court.