Ways Knicks could still win in lottery

The Knicks hold the ninth position in tonight's NBA Draft Lottery drawing, but, as everyone knows, they don't own the pick. The Utah Jazz will happily place their placard in front of that seat on the Secaucus stage and hope their 1.7 percent chance to win the top pick comes up.

Just imagine the horror.

But if you're looking for a reason to tune in for the lottery results, consider the potential residual impact if certain teams wind up with the top pick and the shot at the unanimous No. 1 choice, Kentucky guard John Wall.

First and foremost, if the second-seeded Minnesota Timberwolves -- yes, them again -- win the pick, GM David Kahn certainly has an interesting situation on his hands. Kahn, who made a bold move last year to move up to the No. 5 spot and snatch Spanish point guard Ricky Rubio, only to follow with the No. 6 pick and yet another PG in Jonny Flynn, will not rule out the idea of taking yet another point guard this year if the Wolves came up with the top selection.

"I don't see it as a problem," Kahn told reporters in Minnesota."It'll be fun if that's what happens. You have to take the best player."

Kahn has remained coy with his strategy if he does wind up with that pick. Rubio, who played wonderfully for Regal Barcelona in the European championship, still has another year in his contract before he can leave for the NBA  and, though Kahn believes Rubio will one day play for Minnesota, there is great speculation that he will be eventually traded and one likely destination is New York. If the Wolves can get Wall, Kahn will have good reason to move Rubio and, according to multiple sources, the Knicks will make every effort to work out a deal.

Another intriguing situation would be if the New Orleans Hornets, who are in the 11th spot in the lottery, somehow come up with a stunning win. They already have Chris Paul and rookie Darren Collison. Would they choose Evan Turner instead? Would they consider dealing Paul and select Wall, whose salary will be far more affordable over the first five years of his contract? If it's the latter, you can expect the Knicks to jump all over the chance to talk to the Hornets about a deal for Paul.

The Sacramento Kings sit third in the lottery and they already have a ball-dominant guard who played for John Calipari: Rookie of the Year Tyreke Evans. If they win the lottery, what do the Kings do with the pick and how does it impact the selections?

Golden State (fourth slot) drafted Steph Curry last year, which crushed the Knicks lottery plans. If they win the lottery, what a decision they face, with Monta Ellis and ROY runner-up Curry already on the roster.

The Clippers would love to win it and land Wall. He and Eric Gordon would make a solid young and complimentary backcourt. But then what do they do with Baron Davis? They'd likely love to move him (three years, $40+M left on his deal) and the question is if the Knicks would be interested. (And, of course, would Calipari jump at the chance to coach them?).

There are many variables with this draft. One thing to keep in mind tonight as the order is revealed: The Clippers won the tiebreaker over the Knicks to hold the eighth spot. If you recall, the Knicks last season missed a chance at Steph Curry by one place by being three wins better than Golden State.

Then again, the Bulls finished 10 wins better in 2008 and wound up winning the lottery that year and snagging the grand prize, Derrick Rose. Wouldn't it be just another kick in the cajones if LeBron James decides to sign with the Bulls because he'd like to play with Rose? How much more does the city of Chicago get to own New York when it comes to basketball?

The Knicks haven't won the lottery since 1985 and have never won it since the weighted system was introduced in 1990. So, if your a masochist, of course you expect this would be the year.

This will be the eighth time in nine years that the Knicks have finished in the lottery but the third time in the last five years that their pick went to another team. So far, those lost picks haven't haunted them too much. The Bulls (who else?) got the rights to the picks in 2006 and '07 as a result of the Eddy Curry trade. The '06 pick landed in the No. 2 overall spot and the Bulls selected LaMarcus Aldridge, but then traded him for Tyrus Thomas. The Knicks used the Bulls pick to take Renaldo Balkman. Both players have been since traded.

In 2007, the pick landed at No. 9 and the Bulls took Joakim Noah, who has emerged as a promising young big who, coincidentally, has exactly the tools the Knicks are lacking (length, athleticism and shot-blocking). But the Knicks came up with a real diamond in the rough with Wilson Chandler, an athletically-gifted swingman who has improved his scoring average in each of his first three seasons, though is now in his second straight offseason recovering from surgery.

This year the Knicks don't get to even swap picks. Their choice is yielded to Utah (by way of Phoenix) as the final piece of the Stephon Marbury trade from over six years ago. Coincidentally, the last time the Knicks didn't have a first rounder was 2004. That pick was also part of the Marbury deal.

Optimism? That year the Knicks used their second rounder for an excellent prospect in Trevor Ariza. Donnie Walsh has made it clear he expects his scouting staff to find at least one NBA-ready player with their two second round picks (38 and 39) this year.

The Knicks contingent returned from the European championships impressed with Rubio, but also liked some other players over there who could be possible free agent/trade targets. One situation involves 6-11 center Fran Vazquez, who was the 11th overall pick of the Orlando Magic in 2005 and has remained in Spain. The Magic still own his rights but with Dwight Howard and Marcin Gortat, they certainly don't need him. If Vazquez has any interest in coming to the NBA, the Knicks might try to swing a deal.

Linas Kleiza, who used to play for the Denver Nuggets, has been on the Knicks' radar before and remains there after he spent the past season in Europe.