Staying put at 50 could cost the Knicks their shot at a real contributor

Heading into night two of the NBA Draft, the Knicks are currently slotted to have the 50th pick in the second round. With today's NIL landscape in college sports, more prospects are opting to stay in school for the financial opportunities. As a result, talent at the end of the draft is lighter than in recent years, meaning the Knicks might need to trade up if they want a better shot at landing a contributor.

NIL has exploded in recent years, as athletes have been allowed to monetize their name and image. It has resulted in college athletes earning millions of dollars and being more inclined than ever to stay in school.

As a result, fewer players entered the draft early than they had in a decade, according to a report from ESPN. Additionally, several other prospects withdrew from the draft, deciding it made more financial sense to go back to school.

Light second round

With fewer prospects entering the draft, it has made the talent pool has become more shallow than it has been in recent years. The Knicks are one of the teams that could be impacted the hardest by the fallout of NIL, as they are drafting late in the second round with their only pick of the entire draft.

That isn't to say that there is no talent to be found. Plenty of notable players have come out of the second round in recent years, many of them, such as Jalen Brunson, Mitchell Robinson, and Deuce McBride, are on the Knicks' roster. However, all of those players were drafted before the implementation of NIL.

If the Knicks plan to add another impactful second-round draftee, it might involve them having to trade up higher in the round.

Silver lining

One possible silver lining for the Knicks is that they are just entering a window where they seem poised to compete for a championship. Players staying in college longer will mean more talent that is ready to step on the court and contribute right away.

The Knicks aren't in a position where they want to draft a project that could help the team down the road, so if they do end up making a selection in the second round, it will likely be for someone who they believe can contribute right away.

They have been linked to several players who fit that description recently, such as Kentucky's Koby Brea, who is a graduated senior and 22 years of age. On top of the multiple years of experience, Brea is a polished shooter. Last year, he knocked down 43.5 percent of his 3-point attempts.