'This is what the NBA wanted. It proved a team doesn’t need to tank to get the No. 1 pick,' JeffZillgitt of usatodaysports writes.
CLOSE SportsPulse: In stunning fashion, the Pelicans land the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft and likely Zion Williamson. USA TODAY Sports' Jeff Zillgitt breaks down how the new lottery system devalued tanking for at least one year USA TODAYAt least for the 2019 draft.
There are probably some smiles in the NBA’s basketball operations office. The league set out to reform the draft lottery in an attempt to reduce tanking, or the race to the bottom, to get the best odds of getting the No. 1 pick. The league's new draft lottery system flattened the odds and gave teams a better chance to move up in the lottery.
How about this scenario: the Pelicans pursue LeBron James in a trade with the Lakers. Griffin used to be James’ general manager in Cleveland, and James has expressed his interest in playing alongside Davis. The Pelicans retain Davis, get James, and the Lakers get Williamson? It’s the NBA. Not impossible.
The Knicks wanted the No. 1 pick so they could feature Williamson in Madison Square Garden and accelerate their rebuild. But they will have a shot at Duke’s R.J. Barrett, giving them a chance to develop a star on the perimeter.
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