When will the New York Knicks and 13 other NBA teams partake in the 2019 NBA Draft Lottery?
The New York Knicks are far from the 2018-19 season’s end and into the offseason. While no checkpoints have passed yet, the first one will approach in the middle of May, when the 2019 NBA Draft Lottery arrives on Tuesday, May 14.
Taking place in Chicago, IL, the 14 worst records in the NBA will partake in a process that can change the league for years to come. These teams will all have a chance at the first overall pick of the 2019 NBA Draft, the obviously coveted spot that not only creates some of the game’s greatest players, but puts someone in prime position to select anyone from the available player pool.
In 2018, the Phoenix Suns had the worst record and won the lottery. However, it came with 25 percent odds to claim the top spot. 2019 will start a different process.
The worst three records will share 14 percent odds to win the lottery. The ensuing teams have a slightly smaller chance at this, which makes this as unpredictable a lottery process as anything since the 1980s, when the worst seven teams shared equal odds for the first selection.
The Knicks sit atop it and will look to win the lottery for the first time since 1985, when Patrick Ewing — who will represent them on lottery night — became the pick. However, as the NBA’s worst record, they can only fall as low as fifth in the final order, which shapes as such:
- New York Knicks: 14.0 percent
- Cleveland Cavaliers: 14.0 percent
- Phoenix Suns: 14 percent
- Chicago Bulls: 12.5 percent
- Atlanta Hawks: 10.5 percent
- Washington Wizards: 9.0 percent
- New Orleans Pelicans: 6.0 percent
- Memphis Grizzlies: 6.0 percent
- Dallas Mavericks: 6.0 percent
- Minnesota Timberwolves: 3.0 percent
- Los Angeles Lakers: 2.0 percent
- Charlotte Hornets: 1.0 percent
- Miami Heat: 1.0 percent
- Sacramento Kings (Celtics or 76ers will acquire): 1.0 percent
The odds are tighter than ever for the lottery. The Knicks may have the highest odds, but they are separated from the ninth-placed Dallas Mavericks by just eight percent. Even the 10th-placed Minnesota Timberwolves have an outside chance.
Some of this draft’s prized players include Zion Williamson, Ja Morant, RJ Barrett and Jarrett Culver. All are potential top-five picks, with Williamson as the coveted talent of the bunch, after what he did for Duke in the 2018-19 college basketball season.
The Knicks will test their luck soon and eye a player that can change their franchise for the next five-plus years. It’s a one-night gamble for them and 13 other teams, so nothing is guaranteed on May 14.