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Rich Pedroncelli/Associated Press

Still reeling from their misfortune at the NBA draft lottery, the New York Knicks are in a uniquely complicated position that could compel them to trade their No. 4 pick.

Bailing on top-five prospects just to brighten the immediate picture is oft-considered downright reckless in its brazen disregard for the long-term outlook—unless, of course, a franchise has just cause for weighing other options.

Although team president Phil Jackson has emphasized the importance of rebuilding around homegrown talent, the Knicks play home to an aging superstar in Carmelo Anthony. Their window to win with him is not forever, and they wouldn't have re-signed him last summer if the plan was to start over completely.

Thus, we have to at least consider the prospect of New York trading its No. 4 pick, according to Yahoo Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski—the actual player selected since, by rule, the Knicks cannot deal two first-rounders in consecutive drafts—no matter how shortsighted such action seems.

And because shipping out top-five talent poses tremendous risk, potential scenarios will be presented with that peril in mind. All packages need to be ambitious, otherwise the Knicks have no reason to jettison a possible cornerstone.

Each deal will include specific players who could/should fall to No. 4, because again, we're assuming these blockbusters go down after names are called. They'll also take into account the Knicks' impending cap space, which allows for them to absorb bigger deals without sending as much salary back in return.

The trades in question will be ranked in order of curb appeal to New York. The goal is to be as realistic as possible, so proposed scenarios must cater to the likelihood of other parties rebuffing any overtures. But, in the end, it's the Knicks that matter most.

If they're going to bet their future on the present, the jackpot has to be ginormous.