The stakes of the NBA's biggest lottery for years

Like Phoenix, they will also be very happy if they get second place because the Bulls have already made it known that they were looking for an upgrade on the outgoing starter Kris Dunn.

"Kris is going to have an opportunity because he's under contract," said John Paxson, vice president of basketball operations at an end-of-season press conference last month. "But we think that our organization will have a position to take if we have to take a step in the right direction."

Paxson, who has personally scouted Morant at Murray State this year, will make sure the new Chicago point guard, the goaltender, has the opportunity. For a Bulls team that is now in the second full season of a rebuild and has just given a contract extension to coach Jim Boylen, a jump in the lottery would give the franchise a big boost.

N ° 1 choice odds: 10.5 percent | The first three choose ratings: 31.6 percent

There is probably not a team with more players in this lottery than Atlanta. Already with an exciting young core composed of Trae Young, Kevin Huerter and John Collins, adding Williamson to this mix would be fascinating. Atlanta would get the same choice.

Would the Hawks take another leader (Morant) after writing Young a year ago? Some might say no, but General Manager Travis Schlenk's past is to take the best player available and get back into shape later.

Meanwhile, Atlanta will also be watching for the Mavericks, currently 9th. Whether it remains or returns, Atlanta will get the choice as part of the deal last year that saw the Hawks move back two places – allowing Dallas to take Luka Doncic – so they can choose Young.

The Hawks reached this deal by betting that they would get another choice in the middle lottery this year. If they do, they will look terribly good. But the Mavericks have a 26.2% chance of placing in the top four. If this happens, the legacy of the Young-Doncic trade could be judged differently.

If the percentages hold and Atlanta can get two lottery picks, this team could focus on the heart of a competitor in the East for years to come.

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N ° 1 choice odds: 9.0% | The first three choose ratings: 27.6

While the owner, Ted Leonsis, continues to question the choice of his position as a leader, which is already an attractive job for various reasons – stability, patience, market – would have a positive impact if Williamson was part of the mixture.

If assistants access one of the first choices, it could also leave them with an intriguing decision to make. John Wall being probably away for most of next season while he is recovering from an Achilles tendon injury, does recruiting a young elite hope convince them to rebuild themselves completely?

That could mean the exchange of Bradley Beal, who may be able to get a supermax contract extension if he trains an NBA team later this month. If the Wizards go up, Beal could be on the market before the draft, possibly making Wizards one of the most intriguing teams to watch on Tuesday.

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N ° 1 choice odds: 6.0% | The first three choose ratings: 19.0 percent

There are a lot of big dominoes around the league that people are waiting to see fall this summer, but none are bigger than what is happening with Anthony Davis. Pelicans hope not only to be among the top four, but they also need to watch what's going on in the rest of the lottery, as it may dictate what their best business will be.

Focusing on New Orleans, however, Williamson's arrival here would be a compelling drama for the next few weeks. Would the new basketball tsar David Griffin be willing to double his hopes of keeping Davis longer than this summer and trying to sell him on a core of Jrue Holiday and Williamson? Or would climbing to the top of the repechage make a deal with Davis even more likely, as pelicans could then get several lottery picks and get back on the fly?

This is perhaps the most important day that the franchise has known since winning the lottery created by Davis seven years ago.

N ° 1 choice odds: 6.0% | The first three choose ratings: 19.0 percent

The worst scenario for the Grizzlies this year would be to stay exactly where they are and keep choice # 8. Why? Let us explain.

Like all teams, the Grizzlies would like to be in the top four and bring another talented young player in a relationship with rookie Jaren Jackson Jr. But this year's Grizzlies are among the top eight, which means that Memphis keep choosing it if it stays in the top eight. If it falls to the ninth or lower, it will go to the Boston Celtics.

Why would it be better to abandon choice number 9 this year? Because this choice will be protected among the top six next year and will not be protected in 2021. Given the direction taken by the Grizzlies with a new front office, a new coach soon hired and a training that will change from this selection obligation is now a victory – especially because this year's project is not considered very deep.

N ° 1 choice odds: 6.0% | The first three choose ratings: 19.0 percent

It's very simple: Dallas loses his pick on Atlanta if he is not among the top four. However, if the Mavericks keep their choice, this will give them the opportunity to add another young talent to a core that already includes Doncic and the restricted Porzingis self-contained player.

With the maximum space to sign up to a free agent this summer, this could be Dallas's last chance to get another great talent at controlled cost for a while, as the team is expected to improve and that the Knicks will have two futures of Dallas because of the trade of Porzingis. There will be a lot of hearts in the throats in Dallas and Atlanta if nothing has changed below this choice when the ninth selection is unveiled.

N ° 1 choice odds: 3.0 percent | The first three choose ratings: 9.9 percent

Gersson Rosas, the new president of the team's basketball operations, would like to get his hands on another best choice here to add another talented piece alongside Karl-Anthony Towns.

Minnesota have two former top picks on their team (Towns and Andrew Wiggins), but that was not enough to get the Timberwolves into the race (without Jimmy Butler, anyway). Add one of these top three talents to Towns, Wiggins, Robert Covington, Dario Saric and Tyus Jones. Maybe the Wolves could finally become a regular playoff team again.

N ° 1 choice odds: 2.0 percent | The first three choose ratings: 6.7%

If the Lakers beat the odds and won the lottery, the other 29 teams in the NBA and their fans would be excited. And that could totally change the prospects for the end of LeBron James' career.

But Los Angeles would simply be delighted to be in the top four, which would give the Lakers asset collection a boost for a possible exchange with Davis. If the Lakers fail to progress, by far the most likely outcome, this will be the last indignity of a dead season that has been filled up to date in Los Angeles.

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N ° 1 choice odds: 1.0 percent | The first three choose ratings: 3.4%

Charlotte has arguably the darkest future in the league. Kemba Walker, arguably the best player in the franchise since his reincarnation of the last decade, is a free agent and his return is uncertain.

The Hornets have a full list of inflated contracts, and only one young player – Miles Bridges – seems to be a potential long-term adjustment. In short: it's a team that could really, really use an elevator as an unlikely leap into the top four.

N ° 1 choice odds: 1.0 percent | The first three choose ratings: 3.4%

While Dwyane Wade is at dusk, Miami needs to find an elite talent to grow. But as one of the league's most important free-league destinations is currently wrapped up, the best chance the Heat can take on a player of this caliber is to be lucky in the repechage.

Of course, this could happen at # 13 – but it would be a lot easier if Miami jumped on the heels and won one of the four best selections this year.

N ° 1 choice odds: 1.0 percent | The first three choose ratings: 3.4%

Although there is very little chance that the choice of Kings is raised, if their name does not appear in number 14, this lottery goes crazy immediately.

Can you imagine the dramatic level in both Philadelphia and Boston if Miami comes first – which means that this choice among the top four is now a considerable asset to the Celtics trade negotiations in Davis or is completely out of scope? And if the choice was not revealed at No. 4 or No. 3 either?

In terms of excitement and anticipation, there is no better outcome for the neutral observers who attend the proceedings.