Knicks 2026 – Even with the Knicks still in the NBA Finals against the San Antonio Spurs, the conversation in New York has already shifted to what the team can do with three 2026 NBA Draft picks—24th, 31st, and 55th—and how it might rebuild its bench as 10 reserves hit free
The Knicks don’t have the luxury of thinking about the 2026 NBA Draft as a distant “someday” anymore. The city is still waiting through this very moment in the NBA Finals against the San Antonio Spurs, and New York hasn’t seen a championship since 1973.
If they can win this year, the talk isn’t subtle. It’s about the kind of arrival that could come with a statue outside Madison Square Garden for Jalen Brunson—before the draft is even here.
But the Knicks’ offseason reality is already sitting in the background, whether the confetti falls first or not. New York’s roster picture is stable at the top: all of the starters. along with a few others. remain under contract. The pressure moves to the depth chart, where the math gets harder—10 reserves are set to become free agents.
That’s why the mock drafts are piling up now. And it’s why the Knicks’ three selections—No. 24, No. 31, and No. 55—are being treated as tools for either growth or leverage. The team could add to the supporting cast and rebuild its bench. or they could also decide those picks might be better used in deals.
The thread that keeps showing up across predictions is straightforward: if the Knicks are successful enough to finish the 2026 season as contenders, then they’ll want players who can help quickly—especially to cover the spaces that are likely to open when reserve contracts expire.
ClutchPoints’ Brett Siegel has New York starting at pick 24 with Santa Clara PF Allen Graves. Siegel’s case is built around role and immediate need. He projects Graves. assuming he’s still on the board at 24. as a way to fill a void behind Josh Hart and OG Anunoby—specifically in a position where the Knicks “don’t really have anyone at right now.” The mock also frames Graves as a prospect valued in analytics. which Siegel links directly to why he would fit.
Siegel also gives a second-round anchor at pick 31, attaching North Carolina C Henri Veesaar to the Knicks. The logic is that the 31st spot could become a crucial opportunity to grab a high-upside big who slipped—because the Knicks may look for a replacement for Mitchell Robinson. Another name appears in Siegel’s version of the Knicks’ plan at pick 55: BYU SG Richie Saunders. In this mock. Saunders is treated as a potential sleeper because he’s projected to be recovering from an ACL injury into his rookie season.
One detail stands out in Siegel’s pitch: Saunders shot 38.7% from three in four years at BYU. The idea is that a three-and-D type off the bench could complement another young piece—Tyler Kolek—behind Josh Hart at shooting guard.
Other mock drafts move around the same target areas—bench depth, interior help, and versatility—while swapping names. ESPN’s Jeremy Woo lists a different trio for New York. At No. 24, Woo has Houston PF/C Chris Cenac Jr. At No. 31, Woo pairs the Knicks with UConn SF Alex Karaban. At No. 55, Woo projects North Carolina’s (again) Henri Veesaar.
Yahoo Sports’ Kevin O’Connor keeps the structure of three picks but changes the players. At No. 24, O’Connor has Kentucky PF Jayden Quaintance. At No. 31, it’s Baylor SG/SF Tounde Yessoufou. At No. 55, it’s UCLΑ PF/C Tyler Bilodeau.
Sporting News’ Stephen Noh imagines a Knicks haul centered on three frontcourt options: at No. 24, Iowa State PF Joshua Jefferson; at No. 31, North Carolina center Henri Veesaar; and at No. 55, Arkansas PF Trevon Brazile.
B/R’s Jonathan Wasserman leans even more toward shooting and ball-handling upside at the guard spots, listing Arkansas PG/SG Meleek Thomas at No. 24, St. John’s PF Zuby Ejiofor at No. 31, and Tennessee C Felix Okpara at No. 55.
In his version, the Knicks move through the draft with a blend of skill sets rather than a single type of prospect. Meleek Thomas at No. 24, Zuby Ejiofor at No. 31, and Felix Okpara at No. 55 show a strategy aimed at covering multiple needs with limited selections.
Still, the through-line remains: whether it’s a bench depth upgrade, a new interior piece, or a development-focused prospect who can contribute quickly, the Knicks are trying to solve a specific problem created by free agency.
Mitchell Robinson’s name keeps surfacing in the way mocks talk about the interior. One supporting detail in the predictions points to Robinson averaging 8.8 rebounds per game off the bench, creating a benchmark that the Knicks may try to match as reserve roles shake up.
Some mock drafts frame that replacement as potentially coming from versatile, athletic forwards as well. Both Arkansas’ Trevon Brazile and USF’s Izaiyah Nelson are presented as options that could help on the boards with strong effort.
All of the projections share one key timing point: the Knicks likely won’t make any concrete decisions until after the NBA Finals. For now, New York is balancing two truths at once—unfinished business against the San Antonio Spurs, and the quiet, unavoidable roster work that comes right behind it.
If the Knicks are truly about to complete their return to the NBA’s elite group, the bench rebuilding won’t wait. Ten reserves reaching free agency means New York’s next chapter will start as soon as the trophy chase ends.
New York Knicks 2026 NBA Draft mock draft Jalen Brunson San Antonio Spurs Mitchell Robinson Josh Hart OG Anunoby Allen Graves Henri Veesaar Richie Saunders Chris Cenac Jr. Alex Karaban Jayden Quaintance Tounde Yessoufou Tyler Bilodeau Joshua Jefferson Trevon Brazile Meleek Thomas Zuby Ejiofor Felix Okpara Jordan Clarkson Landry Shamet ACL injury Tyler Kolek