With the New York Knicks sweeping the Philadelphia 76ers in the second round of the NBA Playoffs, punching their ticket to the Eastern Conference Finals, the team is also preparing for the upcoming 2026 NBA Draft. While the main focus for the Knicks is to try to win an NBA championship, it's never too early to think of who New York could target in the draft, with this Kentucky basketball star being one of them.
ClutchPoints' NBA insider Brett Siegel released his mock draft where the Knicks picked 24th overall, and with the selection, the team took Wildcats center Malachi Moreno. Though Moreno withdrew from the scrimmage portion of the Combine, it could mean that he's received a “first-round promise.”
“Keep a close eye on Malachi Moreno sneaking into the first round of this year's draft, as he's drawing strong interest from teams in the 20-30 range. If he does keep his name in the draft instead of returning to Kentucky, it could mean he received a first-round promise, something that may have already happened after withdrawing from the scrimmage part of the NBA Draft Combine,” Siegel wrote.
Have the Knicks already shown ‘strong interest' in Malachi Moreno?
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There is still time for Moreno to stay with the Kentucky basketball program, but the freshman would be a player in that range that the Knicks could be interested in, especially at seven feet tall. Siegel would mention how, with Mitchell Robinson being a free agent this offseason, it could lead to Moreno being a needed pickup for New York, as he even worked out with the team.
“Moreno already had a very early, intriguing draft workout with the Knicks, so could they have already signaled a strong interest in the Kentucky center? After all, Mitchell Robinson will be a free agent this offseason, plus Moreno's 7-foot stature and finishing abilities around the rim make him an ideal center prospect for a contending team like the Knicks,” Siegel wrote.
At any rate, it remains to be seen if the Knicks end up really drafting Moreno, with the focus now being on the NBA Playoffs.
With the New York Knicks sweeping the Philadelphia 76ers in the second round of the NBA Playoffs, punching their ticket to the Eastern Conference Finals, the team is also preparing for the upcoming 2026 NBA Draft. While the main focus for the Knicks is to try to win an NBA championship, it's never too early to think of who New York could target in the draft, with this Kentucky basketball star being one of them.