The New York Knicks are entering a pivotal stretch of the season, with the Eastern Conference standings tightening and every result carrying added significance.
After an inconsistent campaign, New York has regained momentum, riding a three-game winning streak into Thursday’s crucial matchup against the Boston Celtics.
The Knicks sit at 51-28, three games behind Boston in third place with just three regular-season games remaining.
Notably, the Cleveland Cavaliers are just one game back in fourth, adding further pressure down the stretch.
New York Knicks Balancing Star Pursuits with Long-Term Planning
While speculation around blockbuster moves continues, including a potential pursuit of Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Knicks may ultimately prioritize more sustainable roster-building strategies.
New York holds its own 2026 first-round pick, along with a first-round selection from the Washington Wizards.
However, that pick carries top-eight protection. If it falls within that range, which remains a strong possibility, the Knicks would instead receive Washington’s 2026 and 2027 second-round picks.
In his latest mock draft, The Ringer’s J. Kyle Mann projects New York selecting Arizona center Motiejus Krivas with the 25th overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.
Through his junior season, the Lithuanian big averaged 10.4 points, 8.2 rebounds, 1.1 assists, and 1.9 blocks across 39 games, while shooting 56.9% from the field.
“There were times when I wondered whether Krivas would ever be an NBA-level player,” Mann wrote. “Although he’s 7-foot-2 with a wide base and long arms, I thought he looked stiff moving side to side on defense and struggled to assert himself and leverage his size on offense.”
“While questions about dropping the hammer as often as he can in traffic as a finisher remain, he showed amazing growth this season and was unquestionably one of the most dominant rim protectors in all of college basketball.”
“Every defensive catchall metric had Krivas at or very close to the top of Division I, and I’ve come to think that he’s on track to be a capable rotation big for a long time at the next level.”
Motiejus Krivas Emerging as Defensive Anchor Prospect
Krivas scored 15 or more points on four occasions this season, highlighted by a 25-point performance in a win over Kansas State in January.
He also played a key role in leading Arizona to the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament, where they fell to eventual champions Michigan.
His size and presence on the glass translated into 14 double-digit rebounding performances, while he also recorded two games with six blocks, underlining his defensive impact.
ESPN’s Jonathan Givony previously identified Krivas as a sleeper prospect for the 2025 NBA Draft, before the Lithuanian opted to return to Arizona for his junior season.
“He has outstanding hands, long arms, a high skill level, and impressive instincts on both ends of the floor,” Givony wrote.
Krivas’ defensive instincts, physical presence, and imposing size would likely appeal to a Knicks team that already ranks among the NBA’s best in protecting the paint.
New York currently allows just 43.6 points per game in the paint, the third-best mark in the league behind only the Boston Celtics and Oklahoma City Thunder.
At 21-years-old, Krivas projects as a player capable of contributing early, offering both immediate impact and long-term upside as a late first-round option.
For a New York Knicks team balancing playoff ambitions with future planning, a prospect like Krivas could provide valuable frontcourt depth while strengthening an already elite defensive identity.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post New York Knicks Could Land ‘Outstanding’ 7-Foot-2 Center to Boost Frontcourt appeared first on Heavy Sports.