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With Amar’e and Melo in the mix, the Knicks have a set of solid bookends as their future foundation. However, outside of their two superstars, New York has little depth. Worse yet, with the potential of a hard cap on the horizon, adding quality pieces maybe become increasingly difficult going forward. Outside of trades (the Knicks lack desired assets) and free agency signings, the draft is crucial in order to reinforce a depleted roster. If the new Collective Bargaining Agreement does in fact decrease the salary cap and/or eliminate the “mid-level exception” and other such loopholes – the NBA draft will take on even greater importance for all teams in the upcoming post-lockout era.

Unfortunately, the Knicks have traded away the majority of their future picks. Here are the gory details – the full list of future picks New York owes to other teams:

* The L.A. Lakers will receive Knicks 2011 Second-Round selection (via Toney Douglas trade on 6/25/09)

* The Houston Rockets will receive Knicks 2012 first-round pick (top-5 protected) (via Tracy McGrady trade on 2/18/10)

* The Phoenix Suns will receive Knicks 2012 second-round pick (via the Amar’e Stoudemire trade on 7/8/10)

* The Denver Nuggets will receive Knicks 2014 first-round pick (via the Carmelo Anthony trade on 2/22/11)

* The Denver Nuggets receive rights to swap 2016 first-round picks with the Knicks (via the Carmelo Anthony trade on 2/22/11)

Clearly, it is essential that the Knicks do not strike out on Thursday night.

As far as this upcoming draft is concerned, it seems remarkably unpredictable at this point. Normally, less than a week out, there is a clear consensus on who will land in the lottery and which players are ticketed for the 20′s. Yet this year it appears there may be significant surprises early and often. This could be good news for the Knicks.

There are essentially eight players that effectively separated themselves from the pack at this point: Kyrie Irving, Derrick Williams, Enes Kanter, Brandon Knight, Kawhi Leonard, Jonas Valanciunas, Jan Vesely, and Kemba Walker. Not matter which mock draft you consult, most everyone agrees each of these youngsters will be off the board within the first 10 picks. After that, it’s more or less a crapshoot.

Behind these “elite eight,” there is a cluster of comparable talent. Still, the Knicks have to wait all the way until #17 until they get to hand David Stern a name to read.  Even assuming high-profile players such as Marcus Morris, Tristan Thompson, and Alec Burks are selected prior to the Knicks pick, there are still a handful of very promising and intriguing players. New York has to hope that one of them slips into their lap.

With that summation as the backdrop, it is obviously difficult to factor in all the different possible permutations of the first sixteen picks; but assuming the Knicks stick at seventeen, here is what the Knicks draft board should look like on Thursday night:

1. Bismack Biyombo (PF/C) – Congo
Anytime a team is stuck in the mid-to-late portion of the first round, their fan base oftentimes finds themselves hoping that one particular player falls to them. This year, for these New York Knickerbockers, Bismack Biyombo is that man.

Of all the Knicks needs this summer, obtaining a legit, dependable center in their number one priority.As I have detailed previously, there are numerous reasons why New York needs a starting center in the worst way. However, it should come as no surprise that there are very few true centers in this year’s draft. Legitimate NBA centers are a dying breed – interestingly, there wasn’t a single player at the Chicago combine that measured taller than 6’11″.

Although not quite as tall as the prototypical starting center (he measures in at just over 6’9″) Biyombo possesses an unbelievable 7-foot, 6-inch wingspan and nearly all the other physical attributes you love to see in a NBA big man – i.e. a frightening combination of athleticism and agility for a man his size.  More importantly, he is an ideal fit alongside Stoudemire and Anthony on the Knicks front line.

New York’s two starting forwards will combine to put up 50+ points most nights next season. The Knicks don’t need another offensive-minded scorer. No, NY needs exactly what Bismack brings to the table: A bruiser that will board and protect the tin; a defensive-minded monster willing to set screens and do the dirty work – that is a prescription for what ails New York down low.

Those who grade out Biyombo favorably claim he has a lot of Ben Wallace in his game. (Wallace is also much shorter than most centers he matches up against).  If Bismack ever has half the impact that Wallace had on games in his prime – this kid is worth his weight in gold.

Is Biyombo a bit of gamble? Yes. He hasn’t played against NBA-level competition on nightly basis, nor has he ever lived in North America. Both will be major adjustments for the young man. However, he is not completely unproven either. Bismack saw significant minutes in the Spanish ACB league last season. In the 14 games he played for Fuenlabrada, he saw just 17 minutes a night, but averaged 6.4 points (shooting 56% from the floor), 5.1 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks. Those 2.3 swats per game led the league.  In addition, arguably the most important/ pressure-filled game of his young career came back in August, in Portland, Oregon, at the Nike Hoop Summit. Biyombo’s World Select Team was taking on Team USA. The Biyombo hype had quickly spread across international waters by this point, so every team in the NBA was extremely interested to see how Bismack faired against the talented American squad. How did Biyombo respond? By recording the first triple-double in the game’s history. He scored 11 points, grabbed 11 rebounds, and blocked 10 shots (a Nike Hoops Summit record). And it wasn’t bums Biyombo was playing against – Team USA’s leading scorer in that game Austin Rivers, who would have been a lottery pick this year if he were draft eligible. (Here is the YouTube clip of Biyombo highlights from that night.)

Biyombo was considered a lottery lock after his incredible display in Portland, but his stock seems to have slipped over the past few weeks. One of the reasons is the poor showing during an individual workout at the 2011 adidas Eurocamp. However, post-up drills on the block and hoisting up jumpers are not, nor will they ever be, Bismack’s strength. His skills translate far better when seen in the context of competitive five-on-five games. Surprisingly, Biyombo was not one of the 15 players invited to the “Green Room” on draft day. Whatever the reasons for the slippage (some also assert that he is closed to 21 than 18 years of age), one lucky team is going to end up as the beneficiary.

Long story short, the opportunity to obtain a potential defensively-dominant starting center in the NBA comes along very infrequently. If New York has the opportunity to get their hands on Biyombo, they simply can not let the chance slide by.

2. Klay Thompson (SG) – Washington State
Thompson has seen his stock steadily rise over the last few months. He didn’t generate an enormous amount of buzz coming out of WSU, but he’s boosted his draft status after excelling in individual workouts.  There is a lot to like about Thompson, as he has ideal size for an NBA shooting guard, which allows him to shoot over the top of smaller defenders. He’s a terrific long range shooter and has an easy, repeatable delivery from deep. His college numbers, both in terms of sheer production, and also efficiency (he shot 40% from three-point land as a junior, and 90% from the free-throw stripe as a freshman) are certainly encouraging.

In addition, NY desperately needs to add a spot-up shooter than can knock down long-distance jumpers on a consistent basis. Mike D’Antoni’s offense is undeniably dependent on three-point prominence. Yet, in the trade to obtain Carmelo, the Knicks traded their top three 3-point shooters (Gallo, Felton, and Chandler). Melo stepped up his long-range game once he arrived in NYC, but the lack of depth became difficult for D’Antoni to overcome. Having a marksman outside the arc will help spread the floor, which should keep defenses honest and prevent them constantly running double-teams Stoudemire and Anthony. In addition, Landry Fields will be an free-agent next summer, so having a potential in-house replacement makes some sense.

If Biyombo is off the board, Thompson qualifies as the next best option.

3. Chris Singleton (SF) – Florida State
After Bismack and Thompson, there is a bit of a drop-off to the next group of prospects. There is certainly some upside amongst the remaining candidates, but some visible flaws.

Singleton, for instance, brings incredible defensive prowess to the table, but could be a liability on the other end of the floor. In addition, he doesn’t fit a positional need for New York, as there are limited minutes to be had backing up STAT and ‘Melo. However, there is no disputing that the Knicks do needs to increase the number of defensive-minded players on their roster. And many would argue that Singleton is one of the top overall defenders in the entire draft. En route to winning the 2010 ACC Defensive Player of the Year as a sophomore, Singleton became just the fifth player in ACC history to finish in the top five in both steals and blocks. He uses his length and athleticism extremely well, and the exceedingly confident Chris claims he can guard any position from PG to PF.

The downside to Singleton’s resume is his offensive ineptitude at Florida State. He shot below 50% from the FT line as a sophomore and shot just 42% from the floor. (To his credit, his percentages did rise over his three years at FSU). Despite his size and length, he rarely posts up smaller players, and as a result relies on an unreliable jumper.

Nonetheless, if the Knicks snag him at #17, it will be for his ability to stop the other team from scoring – not because he will be relied upon to create offense. And improving defensively is essential if the Knicks want to become contenders.

4. Jimmer Fredette (PG/SG) – BYU
{AUTHOR_BOX}Personally, I don’t think Jimmer is going to be an major player on the next level. There is absolutely no denying that the kid is an elite scorer who will be able put up plenty of points in the league. Still, he’ll likely play a lot of PG, but first he’ll need to figure out how to facilitate an offense. Learning how to play point is never easy, especially when you’ve a primary scorer you’re whole life. More importantly, who will he possibly guard in the pros? Can he fight through picks and stay in front of PGs? Can he match-up with even the league’s smallest shooting guards? You’ll be able to hide him with a zone from time-to-time, but he will often be a liability defensively.

I think trading up to get him (as has been rumored) would be a mistake, but if the Knicks nabbed him at #17, by no means will their fans be upset. He’s a good value that late in the draft, and despite the obvious defensive concerns, there is no doubt D’Antoni would find a way to utilize Jimmer’s greatest gift – the ability to put the ball in the basket. After playing with Team D’Antoni for a few months, Fredette would undoubtedly post some nice numbers. This could be very important at the trade deadline next February, when the Knicks will likely be actively working the phones. A player of Fredette’s pedigree and box-office appeal will draw plenty of attention on the open market. For a team with few valuable assets, this is not an insignificant factor.

5. Nikola Vucevic (PF/C) – USC
As detailed in-depth above, the Knicks obviously would like to add a center. However, Vucevic, despite his size, doesn’t quite fit the bill. He’s relies far more on finesse than brute strength. Vucevic prefers to face up and drift out on the perimeter (there were multiple games during his collegiate career at USC where he attempted more three-pointers than free-throws.) The Knicks would prefer a banger on the block, not a center that is may shy away from contact in the paint. Still, the need for a decent center is undeniable – can beggars afford to be choosers?

6. Kenneth Faried (F) – Morehead State
Faried is a grinder, an undersized PF who outworks his opponents. He’s also a phenomenal rebounder, which would address a major Knick need. However, it’s too much to ask a 6-6 kid to consistently play center in the NBA, and D’Antoni must limit Amar’e minutes next season, especially at 5. Thus, it would be difficult for Faried to carve out significant playing time with Amar’e and Melo entrenched at the forward spots.

7. Marshon Brooks (SG) – Providence
After a relatively quite first few years at Providence, Brooks burst onto the national scene as a senior last season. He’s a great scorer and a lengthy defender, and plenty of NBA GM’s are enticed by his talent. However, he’s not a great fit with the Knicks. Brooks was a volume shooter and had the ball in his hands constantly in college.  With the Knicks, possessions will funnel through Carmelo and Amar’e. Will Brooks be able to effective/efficient and as a 4th or 5th option? If the Knicks nab a SG, ideally they’d get a marksman that would be comfortable as a spot-up shooter, helping to balance the floor. This is not Brooks’ strong suit.

8. Donatas Motiejunas (PF/C) – Lithuania
Montiejunas and Nikola Vucevic appear cut from a similar cloth. Montiejunas has impressive athleticism for a man his size, and is handful offensively. He can knock down the mid-range jumper, and his range extends out to the three-point arc. He is also crafty around the basket, has a nice touch, and can finish at the rim with either hand. The main critiques come on the defensive end. He’d have a real hard time guarding any average PF or center in the NBA right now. Motiejunas still needs to put on a lot of weight to fill out his frame. He would simply be overmatched attempting to establish position in the post of battle for rebounds. There is certainly some upside there, but you are rolling the dice if you make Motiejunas your pick.
The Best of the Rest – A few more names to keep an eye on: Iman Shumpert, Jordan Hamilton, Markieff Morris, Josh Selby, Tobias Harris, Tyler Honeycutt, Darius Morris…

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