Here's a break down of some of the teams that have been consistently in the top 10 lottery picks over the last 5 years. A couple of points you can draw from them. The Knicks have had top 10 picks for the last *SIX* years, and all we have to show for it is Frye & Curry!!
Charlotte gets a pass for being an expansion team. But what is up with Atlanta? Toronto and Golden State have finally made the play offs.

Portland
2007 6 ??
2006 2, 6 Aldridge, Roy
2005 6 Webster
2004 13 Telfair

Charlotte
2007 8 ??
2006 3 Morrison
2005 5 Felton
2004 2 Okafor


Atlanta
2007 11 ??
2006 5 Shelden Williams
2005 2 Marvin Williams
2004 6 Childress

NY
2007 8 Traded
2006 2 Traded
2005 8 Frye
2004 ?? Traded
2003 9 Sweetney
2002 7 Traded

Toronto
2006 1 Bargnani
2005 7 Villaneuva
2004 8 Araujo
2003 4 Bosh

Golden State
2007 18 ??
2006 9 O'Bryant
2005 9 Diogu
2004 11 Biedrins
2003 11 Pietrus
2002 2 Dunleavy


** there may be some discrepancies regarding some picks traded away by some of these teams (Atlanta 2002-3?), but I did the best I could.

Conclusions?
Oh, and before you go off and say that this is proof that you can't build thru the draft, note that I did not include teams that were picking high in the lottery and then disappeared because they suddenly got better (Wash, Cleveland, etc.)