If there’s ever been a year to rig the lottery, this is it. Each of the top-two picks know exactly where they want to be: former Washington point guard Markelle Fultz with the New York Knicks and former UCLA point guard Lonzo Ball with the Los Angeles Lakers.
Fultz made his wishes known Sunday, telling the New York Post it “would be amazing,” if the Knicks had a chance to draft him.
Markelle Fultz on if #knicks had chance to draft him: "that would be amazing."
— Zach Braziller (@NYPost_Brazille) April 9, 2017
It’s unlikely the Knicks get that chance — they currently hold a mere 6.3 percent chance at the top pick with a 21.5 percent shot of sliding into the top-3. But if they do, Fultz is exactly the type of player they need. Derrick Rose’s contract is up (and was a disaster to begin with). Justin Holiday, who has seen some time at the position, is becoming a free agent as well. Even Ron Baker is a restricted free agent.
Unless New York wants to go into next season with Chasson Randle as their top option at point guard, they’ll have to address the position at some point during the offseason, whether they land Fultz or not.