In the N.B.A. Lottery, the Knicks Will Take Their 14 Percent Shot at Zion Williamson

Good story, though the backstory of that incredibly rich 2003 draft neglected to mention the #2 pick, where Pistons GM and Bad Boy Joe Dumars selected Darko Milicic over Melo, Bosh and Wade. Still ranks among the biggest draft gaffes in history!

When you have a 1 in 7 chance of success in drawing a winning card in a poker game, you throw in your hand. There is no bluffing in this NBA lottery game. If anyone in the Knicks organization has been actively promoting a team future that includes the obvious number one pick, Zion Williamson, that person is bucking for a job in the Trump Organization or Administration.

Why do American athletes continue to be subjected to such exploitation with virtually no outcry? After providing up to four years of free labor to your college you’re not even allowed to choose where you’d like to practice your craft? As George W. Bush would say with no sense of irony, that’s uniquely American.

Let us never forget the ultimate tankers and abusers of NBA lottery and draft system, PHI 76ers. They do not deserve any success due to blatantly gaming the system with no punishment and consequences whatsoever. The present lottery odds are an excellent antidote to the abusers. By the way, the inaptitude of NY Knicks is epic and they need #1 peak and 2 superstars to perhaps reach the playoffs. The floaters about Durant joining them strike me as totally absurd, unless Durant is ready to self-destroy his career.

I've read the comments about Zion's shortcomings, which may or may not turn out to be true. But I do remember that fateful night in 1985 when the Knicks got Patrick Ewing, and the scouting report had him as a player who could defend and rebound but not score. If he scored 10 points but grabbed 10 rebounds a night, the Knicks would be delighted. Today he is the Knicks franchise leading scorer (by 9,000 points above Walt Frazier) and among the NBA all-time scoring leaders. Ewing entered the draft after four years of college ball as a 22 year-old. Zion is coming out after his freshman year, all of 18 years old. His first year or two in the pros will doubtless be challenging. But he will get bigger and stronger. My money's on the kid.

The Knicks don’t need to tank. They are just a terrible team, period. It starts at the top with Dolan. The best thing that could happen to the Knicks is not getting Williamson but rather have Dolan sell the team to a competent owner. One good player will not remotely turn this team around. Neither will this fantasy idea of signing a couple of top free agents. What top player in their right mind would want to join this dysfunctional franchise? Get a new owner and start over.

Zion will be a franchise player. However he is not quite LeBron-like in his athleticism and leaping ability. Fortunately 90% of LeBron is Hall of Fame material.

This kid may be Superman against college kids but he ain’t overpowering the tough, seasoned pros in the NBA. He can’t shoot, he can’t handle, he ain’t a “5.” Is he a wing (?) or a power forward? He doesn’t have LeBron’s skills. Great raw talent but some thought Markelle Fultz was “all that”, too. Let him find his place in the league, then let’s talk! The Knicks need a floor general regardless who they may want, particularly if they want Durant. Let’s not get carried away about this “one and done!”

Atlanta will win the lottery. New York would be a horrible place for Zion to start his career. The press is nasty and they would expect too much from him. Let him come to a familiar place like Atlanta, Georgia since Zion is from South Carolina. We need the star power as well as the bump in the economy.

Devils are working it! Let’s go Devils!

Last place should pick first. It's not that hard of a concept. This is why our Little league program always has somewhat equal talent on the field. It's not that difficult of a concept. Nor, in the NBA, does it really mean anything since players are traded with such ease. Either the NBA cares about being fair and giving all of its teams a shot at raw talent, or they don't care about being fair and just want to line the pockets of the agents. Compare the NFL with MLB and ask yourself if anyone really cares if the Pirates play the Cardinals in the World series. But the entire world would watch the Steelers play the Cardinals in the Superbowl. No mystery. Bad teams never get better if they have no access to talent...

Sorry Knicks. Duke, with the nation's top coach, and supposedly three of the top 10 first-round picks, couldn't win the NCAA championship. Zion is a force, but couldn't do it at Duke.

Aren't the Knicks in the same boat as Dallas -- they have never moved up in the lottery either, have they?