Which NBA teams have the most at stake in the draft lottery?
For many franchises, the NBA Draft Lottery represents the most exciting night of the year. An entire season of pain and misery can be well worth it if the right combination of ping-pong balls aligns your way.
Let’s rank the teams with the most and the least to gain from tonight’s grand unveiling.
14. New Orleans Pelicans (1.2% odds for No. 1, 5.7% for the top 4)
Do the rich really need to get any richer? The Pelicans are arguably the most well-positioned team in the league long-term – stocked with a bounty of young players (headlined by Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram) and draft picks (thanks, Lakers!).
They can even pivot in a more future-oriented direction by looking to move Jrue Holiday. But should the unexpected happen tonight, we could see New Orleans become a potential Western Conference superpower.
13. San Antonio Spurs (2.0% odds for No. 1, 9.4% for the top 4)
Twenty-three years have gone by since the Spurs were in this spot, and their future is murkier than its ever been. While many of their young players broke out in the Bubble, it’s difficult to imagine any of them topping out as more than third/fourth starters.
DeMar DeRozan and LaMarcus Aldridge loom in the background, as well as the potential retirement of Gregg Popovich. As unlikely as it is, moving up in the lottery would provide some clarity and give a shot in the arm to a franchise that’s in the twilight of a historic run.