Former Louisville shooting guard Donovan Mitchell is expected to work out for the Knicks on Wednesday, a source told ZAGSBLOG.
Mitchell has worked out for Sacramento, which owns the No. 5 and 10 picks, and will work out Monday (today) for Dallas, which picks at No. 9.
The 6-foot-3 Mitchell, a native of Elmsford, N.Y., averaged 15.6 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.7 assists last season at Louisville. He’s currently projected as the No. 12 pick to the Detroit Pistons via Draft Express. The site currently has the Knicks taking Monk at No. 8.
Knicks executives Phil Jackson and Clarence Gaines Jr. watched Mitchell at the CAA Pro Day Workout earlier this month.
Mitchell has been invited to the Green Room for the NBA Draft, the source said.
“I know the [Pistons] organization is great,” he said last month the NBA Draft Combine, where he met with a number of teams but not the Knicks. “I know the season before this they made the playoffs. I knew Stanley Johnson in high school, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, I know Andre Drummond, all those guys. They’re a great organization with great guys. I feel like they’re relatively young but not too young and I would be able to add that defensive piece and also knock down open shots when necessary.”
He also said he’ll be a two-way player in the NBA.
“I’m able to defend,” he said. “A lot of guys don’t have that willingness but as a guard who’s under-sized I’m able to defend and I’m willing to defend.
“And my jump shot as well, I’m able to consistently hit shots and consistency is one thing I’ve been working on this season and this offseason.”
Mitchell said he can also play the point.
“A lot of people say I’m going to play the point,” he said. “I just want to go out there and provide combo guard needs. I’ll be able to hit shots, penetrate, find the open guy but also come off ball screens as a coach on the floor as the point guard.”
Mitchell also said he’d be willing to spend some time in the NBA D-League.
“I’ll definitely be willing to go to the D-League and work on my game if I have to,” he said.
The Knicks last week worked out Kentucky’s Malik Monk and Duke’s Luke Kennard.
They are also considering N.C. State’s Dennis Smith Jr. and France’s Frank Ntilikina with the No. 8 pick.
Photo: Nick Coffey
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