With Carmelo Anthony designated as their power forward of the future, the Knicks feel they can use more than just another pure point guard when the NBA Draft arrives on Thursday.
Last season’s decision to switch Anthony to the four has opened up a hole for a genuine small forward/shooting guard who can defend and shoot the 3-pointer. The Knicks averaged just 88 points in the playoffs, and feel they need another perimeter scoring option.
Considering their point-guard-less roster following the retirement of Jason Kidd — now the coach of the Nets — it will be a vexing decision to pass on a pure point guard such as South Dakota State’s Nate Wolters with the 24th pick.
But if the right swingman falls to them who can shoot the 3 and defend, they will snap him up. With Anthony at power forward, they never had a genuine starting small forward, which is why they started two point guards last season.
“They are looking for help on the perimeter,’’ said one person briefed on the Knicks’ draft strategy. “A small forward would be nice. They lost to Indiana and got outrebounded, but Tyson Chandler wasn’t right. They feel they can get a big man in free agency.’’
The swingmen on their radar are Michigan’s Tim Hardaway Jr., California shooting guard Allen Crabbe, North Carolina’s Reggie Bullock and New Mexico’s Tony Snell.
Wolters, the 6-foot-4 point guard, has intrigued them too. He likely will be the only pure point guard left by the time they select. If they go the point-guard route, they want a playmaker, not a scoring point guard such as undersized Isaiah Canaan of Murray State.
Their preference of having Miami point guard Shane Larkin fall to them at 24 is a pipe dream. Agent Happy Walters refused to have Larkin work out for the Knicks because he believes his client won’t fall past 19.
Of Wolters, NBA draft consultant Chris Ekstrand said: “He’s got great floor vision — able to see plays before they happen — innate point-guard instincts. The problem is his foot speed. But you’ll see him make a lot of passes guys can’t make, and his perimeter shot is very good.
“He’s got a lot of boxes checked, but he’s just not that fast. But neither was Steve Nash.’’
At small forward, Bullock could be a good fit. Ryan Blake, another NBA draft consultant, said the UNC junior is more NBA-ready, coming out of the Tar Heels environment.
“He’s got that big-time experience, he defends and hits 44 percent of his 3-pointers,’’ Blake said. “The only knock is you’d like to see him be more aggressive as a scorer.’’
However, one Eastern Conference scout said Bullock doesn’t have the ability to create his own shot, but adds he’s “tough’’ and an “excellent spot-up shooter.’’
There are no offensive worries about Crabbe.
“He can be one of the lethal outside shooters,’’ Blake said. “He’s a pretty smooth player, 6-6, strong, good size.’’
However, one team executive called Crabbe “a below-average defender.’’
Hardaway is a bigger name who has experience in big moments.
“He’s a catch-and-shoot type of kid,’’ Ekstrand said. “There’s nothing similar to his father. He’s a catch-and-shoot type of kid who’s going to play off the ball his whole career. His future is on how consistent he shoots the ball from the perimeter.’’
Snell is a smooth scorer who can “put it on the floor with the best of any of them and create his own shot.’’
Glen Rice Jr., of Georgia Tech, son of the former Knick, worked out for the Knicks, but appears a reach at 24.
With the point- guard group looking slim when the Knicks’ pick comes up, Mike Woodson, a defensive coach, is primed to add perimeter offense, especially since J.R. Smith is no guarantee to re-sign.
marc.berman@nypost.com