5 reasons Knicks deserve to win 2016 NBA Draft Lottery

4 of 6

Mar 24, 2016; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks forward Kristaps Porzingis (6) and forward Carmelo Anthony (7) laugh on the court during second half time out against the Chicago Bulls at Madison Square Garden. The Knicks won 106-94. Mandatory Credit: Noah K. Murray-USA TODAY Sports /

No. 3 – The Knicks are not as bad a team as they have been portrayed

Okay, so they won’t be competing for an NBA title in the next three…five…maybe even seven seasons. But when you look at the New York Knicks following the 2015-16 season, they aren’t nearly as bad as they have been in the past and have plenty of promise that would only be amplified with one of the top college players available in this year’s draft.

The Knicks nearly doubled their win total from the season before with a 32-50 finish in 2015-16. Carmelo Anthony continued to be the leader of the squad while Kristaps Porzingis surprised many outside of the city with his play that makes Phil Jackson look slightly smarter for picking up in last year’s draft.

The Knicks don’t lose much off last year’s team and will actually, at the moment, have $5 million more to play with on their payroll for the upcoming season. The Knicks could be in the market for several free agents that, along with a quality rookie, could make this team both a winner and a consistent playoff team for years to come.

Next: The Eastern Conference needs young talent

Home/NBA Draft