New York Knicks Want Stephen Curry at #8 in the NBA Draft

The New York Knicks haven't fielded a winning basketball team since the 2000-2001 season, when they finished 48-34 with a roster that featured Mark Jackson, Latrell Sprewell and Allan Houston. Last year the Knicks finished last in the Atlantic Division, with a record of 32-50. New York is once again in a rebuilding phase, a familiar trend, and will look to use the 8^th pick in this years draft to bring in a star player. Davidson guard Steve Curry could be the Knicks guy.

Stephen Curry seems a perfect fit for New York. The young man seems brass enough to play in New York and confident enough to hold up under the pressure of playing under the bright lights of Madison Square Garden. Curry led the nation in scoring last year and the Knicks could definitely use his offensive talent. Last year Curry played point guard for the first time, the position he projects to play in the NBA. While there's no doubt Curry is a great shooter, there are questions about his ability to handle the point guard position in the NBA and his defensive ability.

If Curry is there at 8, the Knicks will take a chance that he will develop into a good point guard in the NBA, and defend well enough to not be a liability on the floor. The issue for New York is, can a player that isn't a pure point guard and is undersized to play shooting guard justify the risk of taking him at #8. The Knicks like Curry, he's exciting on the floor and a good personality off the court, and that may be enough for them to draft Curry if he's available.

If Curry isn't there, there are other point guards, legit point guards in the draft. Would Ty Lawson or Jrue Holiday actually be a better pick for New York? While they try to position themselves to obtain a star free agent in 2010, they need to secure a point guard that will lead the new rebuilt New York Knicks team.

Sources:

http://www.2009nbadraft.com/nba-draft-prospect-profiles/64-stephen-curry.html
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/nba/teams/knicks/
http://www.hoopsstats.com/basketball/fantasy/nba/new-york-knicks/team/profile/01/18/1-1-1-eff