I hate it so much to where now 'winning' is a bad thing. With the Knicks beating the Atlanta Hawks on that Monday night, 112-108, they now become the second to worst team in the NBA, being a game ahead of Minnesota Timberwolves, who lost on on that same night to the New Orleans Pelicans.
Now the Knicks are NOT favorites to land the no.1 overall pick in the draft lottery. After all that talk of the Knicks having the luxury of picking between Karl-Anthony Towns or Jahlil Okafor, while not even confirming having the no.1 pick in the bag, there's a chance they might get neither.
Though, there's still a chance they could sneak in and get the no.1 pick. Hell -- if the Cleveland Cavaliers got the first pick last year by winning 33-games, and not even close to being the worst team in basketball, why can't the Knicks get it?
The worst case scenario for the Knicks is getting the no.2 pick. Which -- HELLO -- wouldn't be that bad since they'll likely draft Okafor. Can't argue with that.
But if the Knicks are only interested in drafting Towns, which means they'll have to land the no.1 overall pick, could they trade that pick - for an already established, young big man?
Who'd that guy be? How about DeMarcus Cousins...
There was news earlier in the season that the Sacramento Kings would be interested in trading Cousins for a pick. Even though, now, Kings owner Vivek Ranadive said he's not interested in trading Cousins. And I find that to be buh-buh-buh-bullshit.
Every time an owner or the team comes out saying they're interested in trading their star player, it's always a fact. Rarely a team comes out saying they wanna trade their big name player and change their mind. If anything, Ranadive is just making sure he says this incase he doesn't find a suitor for Cousins and he ends up keeping an unhappy Cousins who knows his owner wanted him traded.
Again -- there's still a good change the Knicks could get that no.1 pick. And if they do, they won't be trading it.
I could see Phil Jackson being interested in a player like Cousins. A well physique, strong big man in the paint, with a personality. That personality can be bad for New York, but with that sorta talent that Cousins brings, with a superstar already on the in Carmelo Anthony and maybe with Jackson here and means to every ball player, the negative stuff will be little. With Cousin and Melo on the same team, would mean a lot more winning basketball and less negativity.
Jackson did say how he liked high character players, which is something strongly agree with.
If Jackson is interested in trading the pick, could some else other than Cousins be at interest? Kevin Durant is one player I could see getting dealt. But I don't think the Knicks should trade for Durant and I don't think they will. After that foot injury, you have to be careful what type of player Durant is gonna become, or how he heals from that foot.
Kawhi Leonard is another guy I thought about, maybe, being traded. The San Antonio Spurs are very hesitant to give Leonard the max deal. I believe they will at the end of the day, but I could see the Spurs possibly wanting one of those young centers in the draft.
The thing that Phil Jackson has to process, is if he falls to the second pick, which could mean drafting Okafor - can Okafor make a quick impact in the league. If not, then what's the use of taking a player like that in if the Knicks are trying to win now -- or next season. Why not use that pick to get another young, establish player, like a Cousins.
How about this for a potential Knick team in 2015-16: Melo, Cousins and LaMarcus Aldridge. Or, Melo, Cousins and DeAndre Jordan. Either one would be unstoppable.
But I still say the Knicks somehow, someway, get that no.1 pick on May 19th.
