With four picks in the NBA draft, the New York Knicks have a lot of options but minimal time to decide what to do about them.
Having multiple picks makes a potential trade likely, but whether one will happen remains to be seen. The Knicks have the 19th, 21st, 32nd and 58th picks in this year’s draft. New York’s pair of second-round picks, in particular, could make for great trade leverage, but they can also be a great way to add talent to their roster for cheaper.
One draft prospect the Knicks could consider in the second round is Texas’ Jericho Sims, a power forward who has recently made headlines due to the athleticism and power he showed on just one dunk at Klutch Sports’ pro day.
Sims’ Background
Sims is a 22-year-old power forward who played four seasons at Texas. His senior season was his most efficient one from an offensive perspective, as he averaged 9.2 points on 69.9% shooting from the field. He played and started in 26 games this past year, averaging 7.2 rebounds and 1.1 blocks in 24.5 minutes.
At Texas, he was selected to the 2021 Big 12 All-Tournament team and is a two-time All-Big 12 Honorable Mention.
During the NBA Draft Combine, Sims came in at 6-foot-9 sans shoes and 6-feet-10 with shoes, so he matches up well with other NBA big men.
Sims’ Game
Sims is an attractive choice in the second round because of his athleticism, especially given his size. At the combine, he was a standout because of his jumping ability. Both his standing vertical leap of 41.5 inches and max vertical leap of 44.5 inches were ranked No. 2 at the event. According to ESPN’s Jonathan Givony, Sims’ max vertical leap of 44.5 inches tied for second-best in combine history, matching Hamidou Diallo’s record.
Jonathan Hollinger at The Athletic’s Jonathan Hollinger referred to Sims as a “no-frills, rim-running and shot-blocking” frontcourt player. Sims’ draft prospect profile on NBA.com noted his ability to “switch and guard on the perimeter.” He can pose a serious inside threat on both ends of the court with his athleticism, 7-foot-3.25 wingspan and leaping ability.
His defensive skills can earn him immediate minutes, especially on a Tom Thibodeau-coached Knicks team.
Sims’ Limitations
Despite his athleticism, Sims doesn’t provide much on the offensive end outside of the paint. Hollinger said the forward’s “shooting range ends at the charge circle.” Given the increase in stretch bigs in the NBA, Sims does not fit the trend. He also struggles with free throw shooting, as he connected on just 52.0% of his shots from the charity stripe as a senior.
Sims, who is 22 years old, is an older draft prospect. This often makes prospects less appealing, because their games are more developed and aren’t expected to have as much room for growth. But this could be acceptable for the Knicks since Thibodeau tends to play older, experienced players more.
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