It was the big event of the night and it was held only a few minutes before the kickoff of the Conference Final between the Heat and the Celtics. The Draft Lottery remains a particularly important moment for the teams that have collected defeats this season, those who watch the Playoffs from the couch. Honor this night at the Magic who leaves with the first pick of the 2022 vintage!
Some have bet everything on this date of May 18, others would no doubt have preferred to be in the Playoffs but the level has not followed, the fact remains that fourteen teams are invited once once more for this NBA Lottery which can influence the fate of a franchise on a simple toss of balls. Who to get the first pick, who will have a little help from fate to scratch a top pick? Without further ado, let’s get to the results!
The bouboules have spoken and it’s the Magic who will crack the big smile in the morning, the Thunder and the Rockets completing the podium. Mickey’s friends were among the three worst records in the League and they were therefore well placed to win the precious sesame. What accelerate a little the process of reconstruction started last year and we should therefore see a Jabari Smith, a Paolo Banchero, a Chet Holmgren or even a Jaden Ivey land in Florida this summer to the delight of the fans. This is the fourth first pick in Magic history. and the Disney franchise has had a rather thin nose in the past (Shaquille O’Neal, Chris Webber traded vs. Penny Hardaway, Dwight Howard). If the percentages have been respected for Orlando, the friends of Michigan risk them to make the mouth. With a 14% chance of nabbing the first pick and a 52% chance of appearing at least in the Top 4, Detroit surely did not expect to end up with the… fifth choice.. A great disappointment for Cade Cunningham and his family. In the opposite direction, we will note the beautiful rise of the Kings. With the seventh worst record, Sacramento only had a 32% chance of reaching the Top 4 but we have to believe that Domantas Sabonis brought luck to the new team of Mike Brown, who can therefore count on a nice additional nugget as soon as he takes up his post!
The teams now know in which order they will draw on June 23. The Lottery is in retro, now up to interviews, workouts, trade rumors and predictions on the caps placed on the heads of Banchero, Holmgren and company.