12. Toronto Raptors
Pre-lottery odds of landing the No. 1 overall pick: 1%
After losing in the NBA Play-In Tournament, the Toronto Raptors find themselves with a very small chance of landing the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. Nevertheless, at least they have a shot. And the Raptors are a team that “earned” their one percent shot of landing Victor Wembanyama the right way. They didn’t tank at all this season by any means and tried to win and sneak into the playoffs.
It didn’t work for the Raptors and now they find themselves in the lottery. While on the surface it may seem as if the Raptors have a deserving resume to win the lottery, that is true. But looking at this roster, it would be far from fair for the rest of the league if the Raptors ended up landing Victor with the No. 1 pick.
The Raptors have a talented roster. They’re only a few years removed from winning the NBA Championship and they have a path to getting back to that level heading into the offseason. The Raptors are perfectly fine right now. Even though they may be at a crossroads, they don’t necessarily need Victor.