NBA Draft Lottery 2020: Projected Order and Odds for Every Team
April 15, 2020
While it's still unknown when or if the 2019-20 NBA regular season will resume, the 2020 NBA draft is still moving forward.
That means that all the teams missing the playoffs will have an opportunity to reverse their fortunes with an incoming rookie prospect.
But first, there is the 2020 draft lottery, which is set for Tuesday, May 19.
Like last year, the three teams with the worst records will each have a 14 percent chance at the No. 1 pick, while the team with the worst record overall can pick no lower than fifth.
The top four picks are awarded by a drawing of ping pong balls, while the remaining 10 picks are sorted by record.
Unlike last season, when there was a consensus No. 1 overall pick in Zion Williamson, this year's prize could be one of two players: Anthony Edwards or LaMelo Ball. James Wiseman was a name mentioned a lot as a possible first selection, but his name keeps moving down on mock boards.
Here is a quick look at the projected lottery order and odds for every team.
Projected Draft Order and Lottery Odds
1. Golden State Warriors (15-50); 14.0 percent chance for No. 1 pick; 52.1 percent for top-four pick
2. Cleveland Cavaliers (19-46); 14.0 percent; 52.1 percent
3. Minnesota Timberwolves (19-45); 14.0 percent; 52.1 percent
4. Atlanta Hawks (20-47); 12.5 percent; 48.1 percent
5. Detroit Pistons (20-46); 10.5 percent; 42.1 percent
6. New York Knicks (21-45); 9.0 percent; 37.2 percent
7. Chicago Bulls (22-43); 7.5 percent; 32 percent
8. Charlotte Hornets (23-42); 6.0 percent; 26.3 percent
9. Washington Wizards (24-40); 4.5 percent; 20.3 percent
10. Phoenix Suns (26-39); 3.0 percent; 13.9 percent
11. San Antonio Spurs (27-36); 2.0 percent; 9.4 percent
12. (Tie) Sacramento Kings (28-36); 1.3 percent; 6.2 percent
12. (Tie) New Orleans Pelicans (28-36); 1.2 percent; 5.7 percent
14. Portland Trailblazers (29-37); 0.5 percent; 2.4 percent
Lottery odds via NBA.com and Tankathon.com
Golden State's Lottery Pick on the Move?
The Golden State Warriors hold perhaps the most dubious distinction in NBA history: They are the first team to make the NBA Finals one year and have the worst record in the league the following year.
The silver lining for Golden State is they will definitely have a top-four pick in the draft, perhaps even the first pick, as they have the best odds.
But sometimes, landing the No. 1 pick works against a team.
For starters, the best player in this year's draft is Anthony Edwards and for all intents and purposes, the Warriors are all set at both guard positions.
They need a wing or a pick-and-pop big man, so if they have to, Golden State will trade down to fill their needs.
"We're gonna look at all scenarios," Warriors owner Joe Lacob told The Athletic's Tim Kawakami on "The TK Show" podcast. "Honestly. I'm not gonna hide this—we're gonna look at drafting someone at our position. Maybe we trade down—that's a possiblity. I'm not saying it's preferred or not preferred. I'm just saying it's something we have to look at it.
"We're gonna look at all options, and we’re going to figure out a way to have our team be the best possible team that it could be for this year, but still with an eye towards building for the future."
The Warriors also have two picks in the second round, so they will have plenty of options once they see how the ping pong balls drop.
Head coach Steve Kerr has already suggested he's looking for a two-way player with a focus on defense and ability to share the ball, per NBC Sports Bay Area's Monte Poole.
That player could be Auburn's Isaac Okoro.
The 6'6", 220 pound wing averaged 12.8 points, 4.4 rebounds and 2.0 assists as a freshman.
His jump shot needs significant improvement, but he had a 112.8 offensive rating, which was second in the SEC.
Okoro could be a Swiss Army Knife type of player reminiscent of Andre Iguodala.
Right now, most mocks have him in the top 10.
If Golden State lands the first pick, look for them to make some interesting moves to possibly land Okoro and another sleeper prospect.