Knicks Were Big Winners in More Ways Than Just One on Sunday

Sunday went even better than most realize for the Knicks' current and future prospects. | Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

Sunday was a massive day for the Knicks, who secured themselves a ton of rest for the Eastern Conference Finals by completing their sweep of the 76ers. This will come in especially handy on the injury front as OG Anunoby prepares to return, but it also gives the team as a whole fresher legs and more time to prep for their opponent with a Finals trip at stake.

Yet, that wasn't the only reason for New York to celebrate on Mother's Day.

Knicks' series win made even sweeter by draft lottery results

Prior to the Knicks tipping off against Philadelphia, the NBA Draft Lottery results were unveiled. This saw the floundering Washington Wizards take home the first overall selection, while Utah and Memphis rounded out the top three. Two of the top spots being held by teams in the West are already great to see, and the Wizards are likely years from ever being even a remote threat to New York.

Past those spots is where things get even better for the Knicks, though.

The 19-63 Pacers, who threw their season away with star Tyrese Haliburton out, watched their pick fall out of the top four and land at No. 5.

That was the worst-case scenario for Indiana, as that selection now transfers to the Clippers due to the stipulations of the Ivica Zubac trade. The Pacers took a gamble that they could get Zubac, and the top-four protection would allow them to keep that pick this year, but it's now blown up in their faces.

This development means one of New York's biggest competitors won't actually have a top pick to use or trade after shamelessly tanking for exactly that all season long. The ramifications are massive for a Knicks squad that's going to enter next season as a top contender in the East, as their rival now has a much tougher path to making any significant additions to swing the conference back in their favor.

The good news doesn't stop with the Pacers' disaster, either. The crosstown Nets slid three spots to the No. 6 pick, lessening their chances of landing the best player in this class significantly. Brooklyn looms as the kind of rebuilding team that could become sneaky in the next year or two as its pieces develop, and a top rookie could've pushed them into play-in contention. Now that's a whole lot less certain of an outcome.

In addition, the scrappy Hawks, who just gave the Knicks a scare in the first round, landed just the eighth overall pick via New Orleans after falling a spot. Atlanta is in the spot now where it's found a promising core with developing stars after a reset, and a top-end selection could've pushed it further into serious East power conversations. Instead, the team that drafted Zaccharie Risacher No. 1 overall will now have to try to find a gem in June when seven picks have already been made.

Even the back half of the lottery is relevant in a good way for Leon Rose. The burgeoning Mavericks will be picking No. 9, the Bucks and Warriors stood pat at Nos. 10 and 11, the Clippers' pick that OKC owns is slotted for No. 12, and neither Miami (No. 13) nor Charlotte (No. 14) made any surprise moves up the board.

That's several championship contenders that didn't see their assets get any better. These results also didn't do any of the regular East playoff teams any favor, which is especially notable as the Hornets look ready to make a Pistons-like jump but won't have a top-10 pick to help those matters.

The only East team that came out looking better after the lottery is the Bulls, who were the biggest mover up the board and snagged the No. 4 pick despite finishing with a less egregious 31-51 record. But Chicago is also headed for a regime change with Billy Donovan stepping down, and the front office simply can never be trusted to make the right decisions, so this is just a mere blip on the Knicks' radar.

Impacts of the 2026 lottery on the Knicks both now and later

This whirlwind of a lottery helps New York in both the present and the future. While it's now clear they have the right pieces and coach to win a title, the same can't be said for other East powers who were hoping for better draft picks to land a prized rookie or use in a trade.

Now the Knicks' rivals have fewer clear pathways to loading up in hopes of taking them down, which is a huge bonus with a target now firmly on their backs thanks to a second straight ECF appearance and a core that's not going away.

In addition, these results help keep blossoming powers like Atlanta and Charlotte at bay without a top rookie joining them to speed up their growth into real contenders. The Hawks and Hornets are no strangers to lottery picks not working out, and officially being stuck with less-premium selections makes the task of identifying a franchise player in the draft even more difficult.

This lottery could've helped contenders and burgeoning teams alike, creating extra obstacles for New York once it heads into next season. Instead, the Knicks have to be downright thrilled with how the board now looks for June as they set their sights on being an annual Finals presence.