NY Knicks, Sharife Cooper, Corey Kispert, Isaiah Jackson (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
2021 NBA Draft Target at Pick #19 – Corey Kispert
I personally doubt Corey Kispert makes it down to the Knicks at #19, but the consensus says he should be taken somewhere between picks 12 through 22…
So there is a chance.
Our mock has him going 14th overall to the Warriors but I could see him slipping for a few reasons.
Firstly, he’s an upper-classman AKA he’ll be one of the older rookies coming out of the 2021 class.
Kispert will turn 23 years of age during his rookie campaign so that could cause some rebuilding teams to hesitate a bit.
His defense at the next level could also be questionable, so there’s that.
Regardless of all of this, he’s a do-it-all wing with great size, standing at 6’7 220 lbs, and could easily find a place in the Knicks’ rotation.
After Jalen Suggs, Kispert was the primary playmaker and creator on Gonzaga.
Averaging 19 points, 2 assists, and 5 rebounds per game on 44% shooting from deep.
He projects as more of a catch-and-shoot player at the next level like a Kyle Korver, Joe Harris, or Doug McDermott type…but a rich man’s version.
On the offensive side, I could see his ceiling being that of Klay Thompson one day and that would be a tremendous find at 19 overall.
If Alec Burks asks for too much money this offseason and the Knicks’ front office decides to let him walk, Kispert could fill in perfectly and the team would only lose a bit in the playmaking department but not much elsewhere.
Being an older rookie, his ceiling may not be as high as the others but he could contribute to winning a lot sooner than most and that’s exactly what a playoff team like the Knicks needs.
NY Knicks</a> are not in it.</p>
<p>An absolute bittersweet feeling, more so on the sweet, because while this draft in particular seems to be one of the stronger classes in some time, I’d rather the Knicks be in the playoffs than picking at the top of the draft yet again.</p>
<p>The Knicks have four selections in this year’s draft, numbers 19, 21, 32, and 58.</p>
<p>It’s far more likely that they trade out of the draft entirely <a href=https://dailyknicks.com/2021/06/19/ny-knicks-3-players-pick-19-2021-nba-draft/2/"https://dailyknicks.com/2021/06/17/ny-knicks-trading-up-nba-draft-is-a-strong-possibility/">or consolidate their picks in a trade up</a> rather than bringing four brand new rookies to next year’s roster.</p>
<p>But for this article, we’re going to assume the Knicks, at the very least, stay put at 19 and make their selection.</p>
<p>With over $50 million in cap space this summer, they could look to do some serious damage in either the trade market or in free agency with the ability to have one of the heaviest hands in the league.</p>
<h2>Who should the NY Knicks draft with pick #19 in the 2021 NBA Draft?</h2>
<p>But bringing in a solid rookie to add into the mix couldn’t hurt.</p>
<p>The needs for the team are simple really…They most certainly need point guard depth.</p>
<p>It will be interesting to see if they decide to draft a point guard, re-sign Derrick Rose and move him into the starting lineup or if they opt to sign or trade for their starter at the position and keep Rose on the bench.</p>
<p>That’s if they keep Rose altogether.</p>
<p>Secondly, they need more shooting, primarily on the wing. <a href=https://dailyknicks.com/2021/06/19/ny-knicks-3-players-pick-19-2021-nba-draft/2/"https://www.teamrankings.com/nba/stat/three-point-pct" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Knicks ranked 4th in the league in 3-point field goal percentage</a> but they achieved this on the 4th lowest shot attempts in the league.</p>
<p>Lastly, while the center position looks solid as of today, they could certainly benefit from drafting a big man this year.</p>
<p>Mitchell Robinson is entering the last year of his rookie contract and is due for an extension soon.</p>
<p>If the Knicks and Robinson can’t agree on a number between now and next year’s trade deadline, he could likely be on the move.</p>
<p>Nerlens Noel is going to be looking to get paid himself and if Mitch does get re-signed, Nerlens most definitely won’t.</p>
<p>As a point of reference, I’ll be using <a href=https://dailyknicks.com/2021/06/19/ny-knicks-3-players-pick-19-2021-nba-draft/2/"https://dailyknicks.com/2021/06/06/2021-nba-draft-mock-draft-2-knicks/">Daily Knicks’ Mock draft by Adam Kester</a>.</p>
<p>Here are 3 prospects I could see the Knicks targeting with the 19th overall pick.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #007BC1" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://dailyknicks.com/2021/06/19/ny-knicks-3-players-pick-19-2021-nba-draft/2/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Corey Kispert </a>
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<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-119363" src=https://dailyknicks.com/2021/06/19/ny-knicks-3-players-pick-19-2021-nba-draft/2/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2133,w_3200/https%3A%2F%2Fdailyknicks.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2017%2F07%2F1309625731.jpeg" alt="NY Knicks, Sharife Cooper, Corey Kispert, Isaiah Jackson" width="3200" height="2133" srcset="https://dailyknicks.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1309625731.jpeg 3200w, https://dailyknicks.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1309625731-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><p class="wp-caption-text">NY Knicks, Sharife Cooper, Corey Kispert, Isaiah Jackson (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)</p>
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<h2>2021 NBA Draft Target at Pick #19 – Corey Kispert</h2>
<p>I personally doubt <a href=https://dailyknicks.com/2021/06/19/ny-knicks-3-players-pick-19-2021-nba-draft/2/"https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/corey-kispert-1.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener" ref="nofollow">Corey Kispert</a> makes it down to the Knicks at #19, but the consensus says he should be taken somewhere between picks 12 through 22…</p>
<p>So there is a chance.</p>
<p>Our mock has him going 14th overall to the Warriors but I could see him slipping for a few reasons.</p>
<p>Firstly, he’s an upper-classman AKA he’ll be one of the older rookies coming out of the 2021 class.</p>
<p>Kispert will turn 23 years of age during his rookie campaign so that could cause some rebuilding teams to hesitate a bit.</p>
<p>His defense at the next level could also be questionable, so there’s that.</p>
<p>Regardless of all of this, he’s a do-it-all wing with great size, standing at 6’7 220 lbs, and could easily find a place in the Knicks’ rotation.</p>
<p>After Jalen Suggs, Kispert was the primary playmaker and creator on Gonzaga.</p>
<p>Averaging 19 points, 2 assists, and 5 rebounds per game on 44% shooting from deep.</p>
<p>He projects as more of a catch-and-shoot player at the next level like a Kyle Korver, Joe Harris, or Doug McDermott type…but a rich man’s version.</p>
<p>On the offensive side, I could see his ceiling being that of Klay Thompson one day and that would be a tremendous find at 19 overall.</p>
<p>If Alec Burks asks for too much money this offseason and the Knicks’ front office decides to let him walk, Kispert could fill in perfectly and the team would only lose a bit in the playmaking department but not much elsewhere.</p>
<p>Being an older rookie, his ceiling may not be as high as the others but he could contribute to winning a lot sooner than most and that’s exactly what a playoff team like the Knicks needs.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #007BC1" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://dailyknicks.com/2021/06/19/ny-knicks-3-players-pick-19-2021-nba-draft/2/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Isaiah Jackson </a>
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<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-118776 size-full" src=https://dailyknicks.com/2021/06/19/ny-knicks-3-players-pick-19-2021-nba-draft/2/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_1894,w_3200/https%3A%2F%2Fdailyknicks.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2017%2F07%2F1301984119.jpeg" alt="NY Knicks, Sharife Cooper, Corey Kispert, Isaiah Jackson" width="3200" height="1894" srcset="https://dailyknicks.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1301984119.jpeg 3200w, https://dailyknicks.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1301984119-768x455.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><p class="wp-caption-text">NY Knicks, Sharife Cooper, Corey Kispert, Isaiah Jackson (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)</p>
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<h2>2021 NBA Draft Target at Pick #19 – Isaiah Jackson</h2>
<p>I’ve already mentioned my love affair with Isaiah Jackson in a previous article of mine touching on <a href=https://dailyknicks.com/2021/06/19/ny-knicks-3-players-pick-19-2021-nba-draft/2/"https://dailyknicks.com/2021/05/28/ny-knicks-3-realistic-center-prospects-to-target-in-2021-nba-draft/">3 center prospects I could see the Knicks drafting</a>.</p>
<p>Jackson is the prototypical ‘Tom Thibodeau’ center in that he’s long, bouncy, and defensive-minded.</p>
<p>He’s drawn comparisons to current Knicks center Nerlens Noel and an old friend of the organization in Amar’e Stoudemire.</p>
<p>Powerful rim runner that has an affinity for blocking as many shots as he possibly can.</p>
<p>Last year in college he averaged 2.6 blocks per contest. He had 2 games last year where he had 7 and 8 blocks respectively…wow.</p>
<p>He’s from Kentucky so I’m sure Knicks assistant Kenny Payne has got a bit of an inside scoop on the center prospect so that could help sway the team in Jackson’s direction.</p>
<p>From all of the draft profiles, the one knock on Jackson is his weight in that he’s listed at just 206 pounds.</p>
<p>As fans, we just saw Nerlens Noel get bullied down low by Clint Capela and Noel weighs in at around 220lbs.</p>
<p>This makes Jackson more of a long-term project. You’re buying into his potential of what he could be a few years from now.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #007BC1" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://dailyknicks.com/2021/06/19/ny-knicks-3-players-pick-19-2021-nba-draft/2/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Sharife Cooper </a>
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<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-119364" src=https://dailyknicks.com/2021/06/19/ny-knicks-3-players-pick-19-2021-nba-draft/2/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2133,w_3200/https%3A%2F%2Fdailyknicks.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2017%2F07%2F1217427889.jpeg" alt="NY Knicks, Sharife Cooper, Corey Kispert, Isaiah Jackson" width="3200" height="2133" srcset="https://dailyknicks.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1217427889.jpeg 3200w, https://dailyknicks.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1217427889-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><p class="wp-caption-text">NY Knicks, Sharife Cooper, Corey Kispert, Isaiah Jackson (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)</p>
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<h2>2021 NBA Draft Target at Pick #19 – Sharife Cooper</h2>
<p>I tussled back and forth for a bit as to who I wanted to put here.</p>
<p>There’s a few guys I really like at this spot but I finally settled on Sharife Cooper more so for team need and fit.</p>
<p>It’s obvious that the Knicks need a point guard and at this range, Cooper might be the most complete one available.</p>
<p>Cooper likely isn’t going to be a star, at least any time soon, but he’s incredibly fast and tremendous with the ball in his hands.</p>
<p>He shoots well though his numbers don’t support that and he’s an above average playmaker.</p>
<p>He averaged over 8 dimes per game last year with the Auburn Tigers.</p>
<p>He may be a bit of a defensive liability at the next level so whatever team he ends up on may want to hide him on the 2nd unit to best utilize and highlight his skill sets.</p>
<p>Think Isaiah Thomas, Tyler Ulis, or Lou Williams.</p>
<p>I just think he would fit well with the Knicks, especially if they move Derrick Rose to the starting lineup or get a new starting point guard altogether and place Cooper next to Quickley because the Knicks don’t have a lot of guys who can go and get a bucket and that’s something Cooper can do with ease.</p>
<div class="fs-shortcode" data-type="StoryLink" data-theme="dark" data-text="Predicting the 5 most likely Stars to come to NY in offseason" data-url="https://dailyknicks.com/2021/06/11/ny-knicks-5-most-likely-stars-to-ny/" data-call-to-action="Next"> <div class="story-link-next"> <a class="story-link-next-btn" style="background: #007BC1" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="story-link-next-shortcode" href=https://dailyknicks.com/2021/06/19/ny-knicks-3-players-pick-19-2021-nba-draft/2/"https://dailyknicks.com/2021/06/11/ny-knicks-5-most-likely-stars-to-ny/"> <span class="call_to_action">Next:</span> Predicting the 5 most likely Stars to come to NY in offseason </a> </div>
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