DENNIS SMITH JR.

Age: 19; School: North Carolina State Position: Point guard; Height: 6-2

Why the Knicks should draft him

Guess who was the highest ranked prospect in high school for the class of 2016? Higher than Markelle Fultz and Lonzo Ball? It was Dennis Smith Jr., and the Knicks would be lucky for that type of talent to fall to No. 8. He is probably the most explosive of all the point guards, with driving power that reminds scouts of Russell Westbrook or Derrick Rose. He is potentially a franchise point guard, and nobody needs a home run more than the Knicks — especially since their top scorer (Carmelo Anthony) is being pushed out the door. Not too many players can average 18.1 points, 6.2 assists, 4.6 rebounds and 1.9 steals as a freshman. He also recorded a vertical jump of 48 inches during a workout with the Lakers, which is world class. The Knicks can’t afford to pass up on that kind of upside.

Why the Knicks should pass

The last thing Jackson needs is another point guard who wants to dominate the ball and run the pick-and-roll on every possession. That’s not what the triangle is about, and, by all accounts, the triangle is what matters for the Knicks in 201718. In other words, Smith Jr. is the absolute wrong choice for this system, regardless if he can jump out of the gym. He’s used to having the ball in his hands — at all times — which runs counter to the emphasis on ball movement in the triangle. It didn’t work with Rose. It’s not going to work with Smith Jr., who also needs to show a real commitment to defense that was lacking at NC State. There’s also the important issue of what happened with the Wolfpack. With Smith Jr. running the show, the season was an utter disappointment, riddled with layers of discontent. They went 4-14 in the ACC, regressing from the previous campaign.

Quotable

“(The triangle) would be fine with me. Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan, they played in that system, they thrived in it. That’s two of the greatest players we’ve ever seen. I believe I can do the same thing.”