Kevin O'Connor is in the enviable position of holding the Knicks' ticket to this year's draft lottery.

"I think the easiest way to say it is you?ve got an opportunity to have a high draft pick without the pain of going through a season to gain it," O'Connor said.

"Don?t make us out to be geniuses," O'Connor said about the shrewd move combined with good fortune that led to the Jazz getting a seat at this year's lottery dais. "We saw it as a possibility, because of the amount of protection that was on the picks."

For his part, Donnie Walsh made an interesting comment about the odds of a team improving by way of the draft versus free agency, where the Knicks will attempt to make a major splash this summer.

"I think you?ve got a better bet in free agency than how that pick will turn out," Walsh said. "I love to have high draft picks, but you?re never quite sure until the guy gets out there in an NBA game how good he is.  It?s not that I?m saying I don?t want the pick  ?  you always want the pick. But if you don?t have it, you move on."