FOR KNICKS
Fall in draft as Celts, Sixers make gains
best player at this point to fit what we need.”
The next step for Jackson is to hold individual workouts for the prospects. There’s also free agency to consider, and contemplating trade scenarios for Carmelo Anthony. However, even with all those percolations in play this summer, New York’s best opportunity to land a star fizzled away on Tuesday despite Frazier’s best wardrobe.
The Knicks can now only hope they can get lucky in the draft. And Lady Luck hasn’t been kind to them.
This was the kind of night the late, great Boston Celtics patriarch Red Auerbach would have enjoyed. The Celtics, the night after winning a Game 7, also won the top pick of the 2017 NBA Draft while an old nemesis (Phil Jackson) and an old rival (the Knicks) did what they always seem to do. They lost. Walt Frazier’s purple and gold suit couldn’t bring the Knicks any luck at the NBA Draft Lottery as the Knicks actually fell one spot from seven to eight. In theory, it’s a loss, especially when the Knicks and their beleaguered fan base were hoping to defy the odds and crack the top three.
But in reality a very good player will be available for Jackson to select at No. 8. It’s now up to the Knicks president to find that player. And let’s not forget that two years ago Jackson and his staff did just that when they fell one spot from third to fourth and selected Kristaps Porzingis. It’s not the end of the world.
“We’ll get a young and talented player,” Jackson said late Tuesday from the Hilton in midtown Manhattan. “Hopefully someone that can contribute next year.”
The problem, however, isn’t where the Knicks finished. It’s where the Celtics and Sixers did.
While Phil’s rebuild has resulted in an 80-166 record over three years, the Celtics rebuild is more like a resurgence. Boston, which beat the Wizards in Game 7 on Monday and will host LeBron James and the Cavs in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals on Wednesday, are virtually assured of a brighter tomorrow. Boston’s grossly one-sided trade with the Brooklyn Nets a few years ago is turning into gold.
The Celtics, who exercised their right to swap 2017 first-round picks with the Nets, won Tuesday’s draft lottery and are expected to draft super-talented University of Washington freshman point guard Markelle Fultz. Yes, the same Celtics team that finished with the best overall record in the East and already have a young and talented roster are about to draft the best player available.
“It’s great to be a Celtics fan right now,” said Celtics co-owner Wyc Grousbeck, who represented the club on the dais. “It’s crazy.”
Danny Ainge, the Celtics’ president, has positioned his club to contend for another decade. (Beginning when LeBron finally rides off into the sunset.) James, who is under contract in Cleveland through next season, can realistically play at a high level for another three years. The Celtics are willing to wait him out. That’s why they didn’t forfeit their assets at the trading deadline to make a run at Chicago Jimmy’s Butler.
“I haven’t felt this season that we’re a truly, great, great team,” Grousbeck, said. “We don’t want to put a ceiling on this team but we said we still feel we have some growing to do.”
Philadelphia, which also has an abundance of young talent in Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons, will pick third next month. And they have plenty of cap space to sign free agents. The Knicks, after all this time, will struggle to be the third best team in the Atlantic Division.
Jackson, who is under contract for two more seasons, has his work cut out for him. Carmelo Anthony’s future must be resolved and Jackson needs to repair the organization’s relationship with Porzingis.
This may actually get worse for Jackson before it gets better. There are no franchise players coming to the Knicks’ rescue in June. The Patrick Ewing draft was 32 years ago and the Knicks haven’t had much luck in the lottery since then.
It didn’t get any better on Tuesday, even with Clyde on the podium and Phil watching in the audience. Two teams moved up; Philadelphia and the Lakers, represented on stage by Magic Johnson, who will likely draft Lonzo Ball. The Suns dropped. As did the Knicks.
So much for conspiracies, Walt’s stylish threads and all those losses.