What the hell was that NBA Draft Lottery? That had to have been one of the most insane NBA Draft Lotteries of all time! One team of the bottom five teams in the NBA cracked the top four! New Orleans and Memphis, two teams that desperately needed the top two picks, but both only had a SIX PERCENT CHANCE OF GETTING IN THE LOTTERY, MADE IT! For fans of New York, Cleveland, Chicago, Phoenix, and Atlanta, this is the NBA Gods telling you that it's about to be a long road ahead before you guys see any success. This is especially true for New York, who was poised for Zion. All the speculation that the Knicks were going to get back on track, get free agents, and be the New York Knicks can all but die for another decade, because this was their shot! I’m sure they already had billboards for the kid! But for teams like Phoenix, Cleveland, and Chicago to not even make the lottery is just bitter sweet. All three could’ve really used it this year, but who says the talent won’t fall to them? It can be very possible; judging by this Lottery, the draft is about to be wild.
Good news for the New Orleans Pelicans though; for a team that had no bright future outside of Anthony Davis, things just got really bright. The Pelicans need to go Zion Williamson overall; since the Pelicans ( at the time Hornets) drafted Anthony Davis, he has been their only player. Davis has carried and clawed for many seasons by himself in the Big Easy. Anthony Davis is a once in a generation talent, and so is Zion Williamson. I know the rumors of Anthony Davis wanting to get out of New Orleans are running rampant, but if I am Anthony Davis, I would take this as a sign from the NBA Gods to stay in New Orleans because the Big Easy Pelicans will now have two generational talents on the team, and Anthony Davis will actually have the help he has been so desperate for. I also wouldn’t be surprised if this opens the flood gates to some big free agent signings (KD?) because who the hell wouldn’t want to play on an Anthony Davis/Zion Williamson team (and mow down on some of those delicious French Quarter beignets)!
I’m not saying there aren’t any other potential franchise players in this draft, because I believe that there are. Ja Morant, Jarrett Culver, Coby White, maybe RJ Barrett to name a few. But the fact is that NOLA and Memphis, two teams who didn’t belong in the lottery (even though they needed it), are in, and the Knicks now have to watch as Zion goes to NOLA. Chicago, Cleveland, Phoenix, and the Knicks, have to watch as Ja Morant goes to Memphis. This, I think, really screws New York and Cleveland, the two worst teams in the NBA, the most. I think Cleveland really needed Ja Morant,and if not him, then at least RJ Barrett. The chances of the acquiring either of them are super slim, and they will have to settle for Cam Reddish…
Chicago can still get their PG in Coby White or Darius Garland, who are solid players, if Cleveland doesn’t snatch White or Garland first. I have a hunch, though, that The Land will go Cam Reddish.
Phoenix could benefit from this because if Cleveland does go Cam Reddish or Coby White, DeAndre Hunter, a player that I find will be a solid addition to any team, could fall to Phoenix. He would be a great addition to this super young team.
As for New York, they fell to No. 3 in the Draft. This isn’t a horrible pick; they could still pick RJ Barrett, who will probably be a reliable player, but it’s the fact that the New York Knicks were set up and poised to get Zion Williamson and get back to the glory days. I almost feel bad for RJ Barrett because you know New York didn’t want him; they wanted Zion Williamson and only Zion Williamson, but then I remember he is a 19 year old kid who is about to make millions of dollars playing the fun game of basketball inside of one of the most historic arenas in the world, Madison Square Garden. What's to feel sorry for there?
One thing is for certain, Knicks fans will be booing the whole night because that is what Knicks fans do. And who can blame them? For some reason, the Knicks can’t win (even at the Lottery when they are already losing and the worst team in the NBA); the only thing Knickerbocker fans can hope for is that as Adam Silver is reading the Pelicans draft card Ashton Kutcher comes out and says, “New York Knicks, you just got punk’d,” and the Knicks are rewarded the No. 1 overall pick because this was just an elaborate ruse. This, of course, won’t happen, and Zion will be going to the 504.
By the way are the New York Knicks now technically 17-66 after this fat ass L they just took? All I know is, the NOLA Pelicans can’t screw this up; this is their one chance of actually being good, getting to the NBA Championship, and showing Anthony Davis it was all worth it. This would show him that being loyal to a city that never gave you help, a city you broke your body for was worth it.
So on June 20th, I will be watching the NBA Draft with my Anthony Davis jersey and original New Orleans Pelicans franchise hat I bought in 2012 when they officially became the Pelicans. I will watch as the Pelicans make the best decision in the history of their franchise.
SQUAWK ON FOLLOW PELICANS!
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