Scratch Off: Knicks Unlucky at NBA Draft Lottery, Mavs Keep Pick

The New York Knicks did not get lucky at the NBA Draft Lottery, as the Dallas Mavericks' tanking gambit allowed them to keep their unveiled pick.

Mark Cuban's losing gambit led to a win for his Dallas Mavericks.

The first nine unveilings at the 2023 NBA Draft Lottery on Tuesday night had no surprises in store, meaning the Mavericks are choosing in the 10th overall slot at the upcoming selections in June.

Had the Mavericks' pick fallen out of the top 10, the choice would've transferred to the New York Knicks as the final stanza of the long-winded trade that sent Kristaps Porzingis to North Texas in 2019. The pick is top 10 protected and still has two years to make its way to New York. Otherwise, it becomes a second-round choice thereafter.

Dallas made it to the 10th-best odds to land the top choice (long-presumed to be young French phenom Victor Wembanyama) thanks in part to losses in its final two games that saw them rest healthy starters to ensure that the choice did not transfer to the Knicks. By doing so, the Mavericks cast aside a chance to partake in the Western Conference's Play-In Tournament and were thus able to somewhat salvage a disappointing follow-up to their Western Conference Finals trip.

While the Mavericks were assessed a $750,000 fine, that's likely little consolation to a Knicks group that could've used a late lottery choice to either use or barter with as they try to bring in a potential star complement to Jalen Brunson. New York does not have any draft picks as the 2023 Draft looms: their first-round choice (23rd overall) is in Portland thanks to the Josh Hart deal and their second-rounder (53rd) is in Minnesota after it was originally dealt to Charlotte last draft night (part of dealings that helped build a budget for Brunson's $104 million contract).

The San Antonio Spurs were the big winners of the night, beating out Charlotte, Portland, and Houston in the lottery's second and final stage to win the Wembanyama sweepstakes. Tuesday's favorites, the Detroit Pistons, saw their brutal 17-win season go for naught, as they fell all the way to the fifth slot. 

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Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags

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