NBA Draft Lottery Karma Rankings

NBA Draft Lottery Karma Rankings: Deserving

Detroit Pistons, Houston Rockets, Oklahoma City Thunder, Toronto Raptors, Golden State Warriors

The Oklahoma City Thunder have been a model franchise since moving from Seattle, just their second trip to the lottery since the days of Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden sharing the court. They have a smart general manager that is trying to build the team the right way. Despite the collection of talent they have, they have never picked at the top of the draft.

Similarly, the Detroit Pistons have never once moved up in the lottery. Furthermore, they have seen their pick drop six times, proving that they are due for some lottery luck. For a team that saw most of their wins come against playoff-level teams this season, they deserve some good news.

The Houston Rockets straddled the line with the atrocious James Harden trade and their questionable owner Tilman Fertitta, but first-year head coach Stephen Silas deserves better. He is a good coach that came to a team hoping to win. Giving him a reasonable level of talent to work with is the least the basketball gods can do.

The Toronto Raptors and Golden State Warriors were in the Finals just two years ago and are two of the more passionate fan bases in the league. Toronto has only ever had the top pick in the draft once in Andrea Bargnani and would transform their future immediately by adding an elite talent to an already talented core. For the Warriors, the case is simple. Stephen Curry deserves to play with greatness. The only way to get him another elite running mate at this point is a little lottery luck. Curry with anyone at the top would be magic.