Will the Knicks have a first-round pick in 2023 NBA Draft?
New York Knicks fans were excited about the thought of the team not only going to the playoffs but possibly having a lottery pick in the 2023 NBA Draft as well. Having the top-10 protected first-round pick from the Kristaps Porzingis trade in 2019, New York was certain to have a first-round pick because surely Dallas wouldn’t finish the season with the 10th-worst record, right?
Wrong. Thanks to owner Mark Cuban and GM Nico Harrison, the Mavericks embraced the tank with two regular season games left to play. Dallas still had a shot at making the play-in tournament, but that didn’t matter. The team had shifted its focus to the draft and is now being investigated by the NBA for sitting several players (not Luka Doncic) in Friday’s loss to Chicago.
The loss to the Bulls eliminated the Mavericks from play-in contention and after falling to the Spurs in the regular season finale on Sunday, Dallas holds the tenth-best lottery odds. The only way that New York will get the pick is if the Mavericks are awarded the 11th or 12th pick at the NBA Draft Lottery in May.
If that doesn’t happen, the Knicks won’t have a pick in the 2023 NBA Draft unless they trade for one.
Knicks’ chances of having 2023 NBA Draft pick falls with Mavericks tank
In February, the Knicks sent a lottery protected 2023 first-round pick to the Trail Blazers for Josh Hart. That pick officially belongs to Portland.
As explained by SNY’s Ian Begley, if New York doesn’t get Dallas’ first-round pick, which is what will likely happen, the Knicks will get the Mavericks’ first-round pick in 2024 or 2025. Similar to this year’s pick, both of those are top-10 protected, too. If Dallas’ picks in 2024 and 2025 fall in the top 10, New York will get a 2025 second-round pick from the Mavericks.
With Dallas at risk of losing Kyrie Irving during the offseason, it wouldn’t be surprising if the team ended up with another top-10 pick next year. ESPN’s Tim Macmahon reported that Luka Doncic could request a trade in 2024 if there isn’t “significant progress” made by the team next season, but Doncic has since refuted that report.
As of right now, it isn’t likely that the Knicks won’t have a first-round pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. Cross your fingers that for once, the odds will weigh in New York’s favor at the draft lottery. Mark Cuban would really love that, wouldn’t he?
