Know the draft prospect: Morez Johnson, Jr. and the Knicks’ next-choice dilemma at No. 24 and No. 31

Draft night for the New York Knicks has a built-in fork in the road. With two first-round picks, No. 24 and No. 31, the club can either use earlier value to address a specific need or treat the second selection as a chance to land a target if the board breaks a certain way. In that context, Yahoo Sports’ prospect breakdown points to Michigan’s Morez Johnson, Jr. as a name that could be available when New York is on the clock.

Johnson is listed as a forward/center at Michigan, giving the archetype teams often prioritize in the modern NBA: a player who can play through the elbow and around the paint, defend bigger matchups, and provide frontcourt size without forcing the team to shuffle lineups. The Yahoo Sports piece frames him primarily as a “board-dependent” prospect, suggesting his draft availability may hinge on how teams value similar big-bodied wings and traditional interior defenders.

The timing matters for the Knicks. If Johnson is still on the board at No. 24, New York’s decision becomes whether to spend its earlier pick on a player whose path to the rotation could be tied to matchups. If he slips, No. 31 becomes the opportunity, but it also raises the risk of arriving too late if other teams with overlapping needs choose to secure him before New York gets another turn.

This is the kind of decision that separates “best player available” from “best roster-building value.” A late first-round selection can look like a steal if a prospect falls, but the Knicks also have to consider how Johnson’s role would be defined in the first year. Frontcourt prospects drafted in this range often earn minutes through defense, rebounding, and the ability to stay disciplined in team schemes, while offensive production and shot creation can take time.

For New York, the broader roster context is that the team’s young core and established rotation players create a specific challenge for newcomers: they need to fit without dragging down lineups. A forward/center type like Johnson can make that easier if the coaching staff can find a defensive role immediately. Yahoo’s draft framing suggests he is the sort of player who can be slotted into a team plan rather than requiring a complete system change.

Still, the core caveat is the one that sits under any pre-draft projection. Prospects are evaluated differently across front offices, and small differences in fit, athletic testing, or perceived upside can move a player multiple spots on draft boards. Even if Johnson looks like a logical target for No. 24, it is entirely possible that other clubs see his upside more clearly or that they prefer another skill set at the same position.

What to watch next is how the market treats Michigan’s big forward/center profile as the draft approaches, especially the run of players around New York’s slot range. If Johnson is discussed repeatedly by teams with pick positions near the Knicks, it could report he is likely to be drafted earlier than teams hope. If he becomes a “late-blooming” name in the middle of the first round, No. 31 becomes the more realistic path to landing him.

In the end, the Knicks’ two-pick structure gives them flexibility, but it also makes their draft strategy more consequential. The Morez Johnson, Jr. storyline is less about a single “must-hit” prospect and more about whether New York can get the value they want at the right time, with the board doing the rest.