NBA Draft Lottery 2012: 5 Huge Implications from Wednesday's Lottery

Now that this year's draft lottery has come and gone, we can let the analysis of who's going where and why begin. 

There is no shortage of storylines emanating from the proceedings involving a multitude of teams and the league itself. The Hornets, owned and operated by the NBA until July, leapfrogged the Bobcats and Wizards to secure the No. 1 overall pick.

The Nets, soon to be in Brooklyn, dropped to No. 6 and subsequently lost the pick thanks to a deadline deal they did with Portland.

We'll see what ripples occur between now and draft day. For now, here are a few big implications coming from New York on Wednesday night.

No. 1) the Hornets Get the No. 1 Pick

Despite having just a 13.7 percent chance of winning the lottery, less than three other teams, the Hornets still saw their logo on the main ping-pong ball.

The Hornets are about to lose guard Eric Gordon, easily their best player, to restricted free agency. One has to think that New Orleans' chances of re-signing Gordon have increased exponentially now that they are in line to take the University of Kentucky's Anthony Davis, who looks like he's ready to play in the NBA right now.

It should be mentioned, while we're here, that the Hornets have been owned by the NBA since December of 2010, and even though the league sold the franchise to New Orleans Saints owner Tom Benson in April, he will not assume control until July.

Could it be a bit of a thank you to Benson for taking the Hornets and keeping them in the Big Easy?

Who knows?

No. 2) the Nets Are in Trouble

So the Nets made a deal back in March which netted them Gerald Wallace from the Blazers. It was a last ditch effort to do something, anything, after they were unable to acquire Dwight Howard from Orlando.

The problem was, Wallace had an opt-out clause in his deal for after the season. And the Nets offered Portland their first-round pick this season provided it fell out of the Top Three.

Oops.

When the Nets ping-pong ball came up in the No. 6 slot, stomachs in the new Brooklyn offices had to have turned. The pick was headed to the Pacific Northwest.

So what now? It was thought that the Nets could potentially use a Top Three selection as trade bait to try getting Howard to come in and pair with a freshly re-signed Deron Williams.

Now, who knows?

The Nets don't have much to offer the Magic without that Top Three selection. Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports reports Williams may be privy to leaving as a free agent should the team not get Howard.

Biggest loser from this lottery? The Brooklyn Nets.

No. 3) the Charlotte Situation

In case anyone forgot, the Charlotte Bobcats were the worst team in NBA history this past season. Therefore, they hit lottery night with the best chance of anyone to get the No. 1 overall pick. 

But they didn't. They got No. 2. And with that, they're right back in no man's land.

It stands to reason that Charlotte will take either Kentucky's Michael Kidd-Gilchrist or Florida's Bradley Beal with the No. 2 pick, and either one of them would fill a need for the Bobcats while also having a good chance to be an impact player.

But Davis doesn't just have a chance to be an impact player, he's going to be one.

The Bobcats aren't looking for a maybe given their current standing. They are looking for a yes.

Now, they have one more thing to worry about. On top of everything else.

No. 4) the Blazers Rebuild

Portland's complete collapse this past season, which cost coach Nate McMillan his job, was one of the biggest surprises of the year. 

But thanks to that trade with the Nets, the Blazers have two lottery picks and a chance to speed up their rebuilding process.

They're now in position to get a big guy (Andre Drummond, Jared Sullinger) and a point guard (Damian Lillard, Kendall Marshall), their two biggest needs.

Good looks for the Blazers, who needed a break after all of their bad luck with Brandon Roy and Greg Oden.

No. 5) Two Top 10 Picks for the Hornets

Thanks to a trade with Minnesota, the Hornets have the Wolves' first-rounder, which comes in at No. 10. New Orleans is in prime position to add another top-flight prospect to go with Davis.

The Hornets have a nice, veteran point guard in Jarrett Jack but could look to draft someone to pair up with him like Damian Lillard or Zeke Marshall. Or, they could look to grab a slasher like Quincy Miller or Moe Harkless.

No matter what they do, this lottery proved to be a gold mine for the Hornets. They're in the best position of anyone by far.