Winners and losers of the 2019 NBA Draft Lottery

Winner (kinda): New York Knicks

Look, New York Knicks fans have a right to be more disappointed than anyone. They’ve suffered through decades of shame, and armed with enough cap space for two max contracts this summer, securing the No. 1 pick either would’ve added Zion Freaking Williamson to the core, or made them frontrunners in Anthony Davis trade talks.

In a best-case scenario, the Knicks dreamt of either KD, Kyrie, Zion and Mitchell Robinson, or KD, Kyrie and AD as a potential championship core. Instead, they won’t be getting Williamson, the type of generational talent who would’ve thrived in the Mecca of basketball, Madison Square Garden.

However, as perfect a fit as that would’ve been, the Knicks are still in a good place. Missing out on Zion (and Ja Morant) sucks, and drafting R.J. Barrett, Cam Reddish or Jarrett Culver would be a comparative letdown, but New York still has room for two max contracts. It’s still a massive free agency draw, with lots of young and talent, and the ability to put together a compelling offer for AD.

They still might be able to get their hands on the Brow with a package centered around the No. 3 selection, future picks and whatever combination of Mitchell Robinson, Dennis Smith Jr., Kevin Knox, Allonzo Trier or Damyean Dotson gets the job done.

Also, because the Dallas Mavericks’ 2019 pick conveyed to the Atlanta Hawks, the Knicks will receive an unprotected 2021 first-rounder and a top-10 protected 2023 first-rounder heading their way from the Kristaps Porzingis trade. All hope isn’t lost just yet.

Loser: Dallas Mavericks

On the surface, giving up the No. 10 pick in a draft where prospects 4-14 are pretty close to even doesn’t seem like a loss, especially since the trade that put them in this position netted the imminent Rookie of the Year. Luka Doncic still feels worth trading away Trae Young and this year’s 10th overall selection (though we have no idea what that pick will turn into).

However, losing a top-10 pick when it didn’t jump into the top four still stings, and with that pick conveying this year, the Dallas Mavericks now owe their unprotected first-rounder in 2021 to New York, as well as their 2023 first-rounder (top-10 protected).

Moving into the top four would’ve given the Mavs another tantalizing young prospect to pair with Doncic and Porzingis. Even though the pick dropped to No. 10, making its departure easier to stomach, the dream scenarios of a Big 3 of Doncic, Porzingis and Zion are now dead, and Dallas won’t have too many more opportunities to add young, high-end talent through the draft over the next few years.