6. Orlando Magic
Pre-lottery odds of landing the No. 1 overall pick: 9%
Even though the Orlando Magic is fresh off winning the NBA Draft Lottery last season, in which they selected Paolo Banchero as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, it wouldn’t be that unfair if they were able to land another high-profile player via the NBA Draft. The Magic have not won a playoff series since the 2009-10 NBA season. It’s been nearly 15 years since the last time Orlando was competitive in the East.
While they have taken tangible steps forward, this is still a team that is a long way off from where they want to be. Adding a player as talented as Victor Wembanyama could help this team skip a few steps and expedite their overall process of emerging as a real player in the Eastern Conference.
Because of how long this team has been a disappointment for their fanbase, you can’t help but root a little for them heading into the NBA Draft Lottery. It’s unlikely that karma would allow them to win the No. 1 overall pick in back-to-back years, however.