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        <title><![CDATA[The point guard who could be Knicks’ safest NBA Draft option]]></title>
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            <media:title type="html">The point guard who could be Knicks’ safest NBA Draft option</media:title>
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        <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Five point-guard prospects have emerged as lottery options for the upcoming NBA Draft — whether it is held on June 25 <strong>or pushed back because of coronavirus</strong>.</p><p>In what is considered a mediocre class, LaMelo Ball, Cole Anthony, Tyrese Maxey, Tyrese Haliburton and Killian Hayes have separated themselves.</p><p>Knicks president Leon Rose has a giant decision to make as the franchise tries to solve what is its greatest need.</p><p>“There’s no Ja Morant in this draft,” ESPN’s top college-basketball analyst Seth Greenberg told The Post. “It’s not a good draft.”</p><p>The Post reported Knicks scouts earlier this season were given an edict to keep all eyes open for a scoring poing guard.</p><p>While Georgia shooting guard Anthony Edwards has climbed up the draft boards to as high as No. 1 based on upside, he put up inefficient numbers on a dreadful team, is a poor outside shooter, has low basketball IQ and the Knicks already have a bedrock piece in RJ Barrett at that position.</p><p>Greenberg, the former Virginia Tech coach who hails from Plainview, Long Island, has his own choice for the Knicks. It’s not the sexiest but safest.</p><p>“I really like Haliburton,” Greenberg said of the Iowa State point guard.</p><p>Greenberg admits he hasn’t seen enough of Hayes, an 18-year-old from France who skipped college to play professionally in Germany, but has concerns with Ball, Anthony and Maxey.</p><p>He has questions on whether Anthony and Maxey have the vision of a pure point guard. Greenberg wonders if the flashy Ball has <strong>too much baggage because of his father</strong>, LaVar.</p><p>“The best of the group is Haliburton,” Greenberg said. “He’s a pure point guard who will end up being able to shoot the ball, does have a runner. He’s got really, really good vision. He sees plays develop, has tremendous size, will be an excellent defender. He could potentially be Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.”</p><p>The Knicks could have had Gilgeous-Alexander at No. 9 in the 2018 draft, but passed on him for the disappointing Kevin Knox. They have to get this right.</p><p>Haliburton, 20, was averaging 15.2 points, 5.9 rebounds, 6.5 assists and 2.5 steals. The 6-foot-5 sophomore was shooting 50.4 percent (41.9 from 3) before a Feb. 10 wrist injury felled him in his 22nd game. He wouldn’t have been ready for the canceled Big 12 tournament or the NCAA Tournament.</p><p>“He’ll be an adequate scorer eventually,” Greenberg said. “I like his feel, presence. He’s got to get a little more bounce into his 3-point shot. I like that he comes with absolutely no baggage.”</p><p>Which brings us to the 6-foot-7 Ball, who <strong>shut down his season</strong> Dec. 7 after bruising his foot in&nbsp; Australia’s National Basketball League.</p><p><iframe scrolling="no"  width="100%" height="200" frameborder="no" data-src="https://playlist.megaphone.fm?e=ADL8568080298&amp;light=true" class="lazyload" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw=="></iframe></p><p>“LaMelo is a freak with his size, vision and speed,” Greenberg said of Lonzo’s youngest brother. “But he doesn’t shoot it well and his decision-making is not great in terms of shot selection. His creativity is at another level.</p><p>“But I think LaMelo in New York would either be feast or famine. I’d only draft LaMelo in New York if there was a promise LaVar wouldn’t come with him. If you have a new Knick front office, do you want to deal with that? The second-guessing from a guy who doesn’t know what he doesn’t know. He’s a disaster.”</p><p>Ball, 18, signed with Creative Artists Agency, Rose’s former agency, but the new Knicks prez wasn’t his primary rep.</p><p>Another potential point guard stud with a Knicks connection is Anthony, the New York product and son of ex-NBAer Greg Anthony. Anthony’s freshman year was an injury-riddled disappointment on a mediocre North Carolina team, but he showed flashes.</p><p>Greenberg doesn’t believe Anthony will turn out as well as Bulls lottery pick and fellow UNC product Coby White.</p><p>“He’s a poor man’s Coby White,” Greenberg said. “I think he’s physically strong, he could be a good defender, but he’s not a point guard. He’s a ball guard. He doesn’t see things very early, doesn’t have great natural vision. He’s an average-at-best shooter. His shot selection wasn’t good, but his team wasn’t good. It’s not like he has this dynamic playmaking ability.”</p><p>Greenberg continued the critique of the 19-year-old Anthony, who averaged 18.5 points on 38-percent shooting. “He’s got a good first step, but not great and he’s not a freak athlete,” Greenberg said. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen at any level great vision and he’s undersized.”</p><p>Kentucky’s Maxey, 19, is higher on Greenberg’s list, but he sees him also as a combo guard. In his freshman debut, the 6-foot-3 Maxey came off the bench to explode for 26 points at the Garden.</p><p>Greenberg calls Maxey “a poor man’s Jamal Murray.” Maxey averaged 14 points on 42.7 percent shooting.</p><p>“He can make plays, can penetrate, not a great shooter, but can make shots,” Greenberg said. “He’s got good speed with all kinds of floaters. And he’s a great kid, great enthusiasm. He’s far from a pure point guard. He’s a ball guard, but a little undersized for a ball guard. But has a burst, a pretty good passer off the bounce, but not with instinctive vision. He’s no Morant.”</p><p>Nobody is in this draft – whenever it will be.</p>]]></content:encoded>
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