CHICAGO — The reality is the Knicks are more likely to zero in on Virginia’s D’Andre Hunter and Gonzaga’s Rui Hachimura than Zion Williamson, Ja Morant and RJ Barrett once the pingpong balls roll.
The consensus leading into Tuesday’s lottery is the top three picks will be Williamson, Morant and Barrett. The odds are better than 50-50 the league-worst Knicks will pick fourth or fifth — 59.8 percent, to be exact.
That will open up a different slew of candidates. In an appearance on ESPN Radio on Monday, GM Scott Perry mentioned the power forward Hachimura, the Virginia swingman Hunter and referenced Williamson’s wingmen — obviously referring to Barrett and Cam Reddish — as being potential top-five picks.
Other players on the radar in the four-five range figure to be Texas Tech shooting guard Jarrett Culver, whom Knicks president Steve Mills and Perry scouted during the NCAA Tournament. Hunter and Culver are known as solid defenders. Other top five targets figure to be Vanderbilt point guard Darius Garland, who missed his freshman season, and North Carolina point guard Coby White.
“One thing that I think people don’t realize: We haven’t had a chance to meet any of these young men,’’ Perry said. “I think it’s an important part of our draft process, you want to get the chance to meet these young men to make sure they fit into what you’re trying to do. Our staff has been out the entire year looking at a number of players at the top of this draft.’’
Hachimura is an interesting case because he plays power forward and the Knicks consider that their biggest need. They’re without a player under a guaranteed contract for next season who plays the position.