This era of Knicks basketball has relied very little on homegrown talent: just two of their main seven rotational players these playoffs were drafted by New York. It was a privilege to have watched the 30 minute show before Game 4 on Monday without worry. Even still, it was impossible not to react to the results.

We’ll dive deeper into prospect talk later. For now, I asked our in-house NBA Draft analyst Chris Lebron a few questions about his gut reactions to the most interesting storylines post-lottery.

Chris Lebron: What's crazy about Flagg in Dallas is that it was the last team on my mind when it came to landing spots for him, but boom. My grade for Dallas is an A. He will be surrounded by great vets in AD, Kyrie and Klay, and will add to what Nico has been preaching in “DEFENSE” along with Lively, so I actually love this spot for him. After losing Luka, Dallas gets gifted another star, replacing a legendary figure. 

If the Spurs stay at 2—in my gut I think they will trade the pick—I still believe, even though he isn't a need, the pick will be Dylan Harper from Rutgers. He can play off-ball with Castle or Fox and you always take the best player on the board and make it work. He has superstar potential, and I can't pass on that type of talent simply because I have two point guards. 

For the 76ers, I would take Ace Bailey and have Paul George mentor him, as many scouts have said Ace has a lot of PG-13 in his game. Ace, in my opinion is a prospect who needs to go to the right team in order to maximize his talent, and Philly would be ideal for him and his growth. He also gives them a potential PG-13 replacement if they decide to go the youth route. 

I think the Raptors are very intriguing because out of the teams that fell in the lotto, they still are built to be a playoff team, unlike the other squads. They can package some picks and players to move up, or package picks and players to get a player to help them move up in the East.

The biggest winner is Cooper Flagg: he goes to a solid team with good vets and doesn't have to have the pressure of being the “savior” like he would have been had Washington, Charlotte, or Brooklyn won the lottery. He can develop and learn from future Hall of Famers on how to be a pro. 

I think teams will be trying to get into the top four, as many have deemed that's where the blue chip prospects are. So I would expect the teams who were predicted to be in that top four to try and get in there, starting with trading with the Spurs at #2. 

I think the Wizards move up to the top three, but an even bigger bold move is Brooklyn trading all their picks to get Giannis in a blockbuster deal.

The Hornets have a good core in LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller, and Mark Williams (for now). But that trio recorded a combined 118 games played last season, LaMelo will be entering his sixth season making $40 million, and last year’s #6 pick Tidjane Salaun is about as raw as a prospect can be.

While I really like V. J. Edgecombe, a strong candidate for their #4 pick, I feel there needs to be some urgency in this summer’s approach or a new timeline altogether without LaMelo. Charlotte hasn’t seen the playoffs since 2016. How long should a team be allowed to rebuild?

March Madness made me a believer in Maryland center Derik Queen, who reminds me of Domantas Sabonis (or a souped-up Boris Diaw). A crafty, playmaking center is a fun archetype when maximized, and who better to pair that with than a young big with high defensive upside and decent shooting projections?

While Alex Sarr shot 30.8% from three on 5.1 attempts in his rookie season, I believe in his development alongside Washington’s other young players (Kyshawn George, Bilal Coulibaly, Bub Carrington). Having Queen’s playmaking would supplement that, and Jordan Poole hit his stride last year, too. I thought they were getting Flagg, but there’s still opportunity to win the draft.

The Eastern Conference Finals begin Wednesday and the Knicks are hosting it, so in the short term, absolutely not. In this Brunson-led contention window they’re in, also no.

Philly getting the #3 pick means it didn’t win #1, which would’ve slotted Cooper Flagg between Paul George and Joel Embiid, making for the perfect franchise comeback story. Instead, we’ll have to wonder if Ace Bailey is NBA-ready enough while those guys risk the rest of their playing health for a playoff run.

Charlotte is unserious. Washington will need time to grow. Brooklyn was too good for their own good, leaving them stargazing like the Knicks in 2019. Toronto has major roster questions, starting with a familiar friend, RJ Barrett. Chicago, who always gives the Knicks a close game, was this close to Capturing the Flagg, but instead, they’re #12. Atlanta’s peak is now four years in the past.

Late-lottery and non-lottery gems are my favorite part of any draft, so each of these teams has a near-equal chance of striking gold. But Cooper Flagg and Dylan Harper are likely headed West, and the 76ers are a doctor’s second favorite team (behind New Orleans), so it’s looking like Orange & Blue Skies for the rest of the decade.