Top 3 teams who need to win the NBA Draft Lottery the most
By Jack Simone
Top 3 teams who need to win the NBA Draft Lottery the most: 2. Oklahoma City Thunder
Unlike the New York Knicks, the Oklahoma City Thunder already have a direction. However, that direction has been based on the concept of making the right picks.
Sam Presti has spent the past few years accumulating a ridiculous pool of draft picks. And while that’s certainly impressive, the feat only matters if the Thunder make the correct decisions in the draft.
Last year, they nailed it with Josh Giddey, nabbing the Australian point guard with the sixth-overall pick. This year’s draft has plenty of talent, too, but the top three have separated themselves from the pack.
If the Thunder get their hands on Chet Holmgren, Paolo Banchero, or Jabari Smith Jr., their core would be elevated to a whole other level. One of those three-plus Giddey, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Lu Dort would make for a nasty group.
And what’s even wilder is that the Thunder could potentially draft two of those players. They own the LA Clippers’ first-round pick, so they have to ping pong balls in the lottery.
All that being said, it would be huge for the Thunder to get the first pick. Having a ton of draft picks is awesome, but it’s not about the picks. It’s about the players they select with the picks. And the first-overall pick is the best possible outcome.