Adam Silver, NBA Draft. (Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports)
With the NBA play-in tournament behind us and only the postseason to look forward to, the Draft order is set for all teams that did not make the playoffs.
The Clippers held a double-digit lead over the Pelicans entering the fourth quarter, but it wasn’t enough to survive the impending surge. Brandon Ingram and Co. took Willie Green’s inspirational words to heart, and mounted a comeback.
But what’s next for the Clippers and all the other teams which didn’t make the postseason?
Obviously, the NBA Draft lottery will tell all when the time comes, but now that half the league has missed the playoffs, we know the pre-lottery draft odds.
The biggest winners of the Pelicans shocking the Clippers are the New York Knicks, Oklahoma City Thunder and Charlotte Hornets.
NBA Draft order: Winners and losers from Pelicans win
The Knicks now get to keep their own selection, which is key in building their future under Thibs. The Thunder receive the Clippers selection this year from the Paul George trade, so they move up to No. 12, and now have two selections in the first 12 picks. And while the Hornets moving up to No. 13 isn’t necessarily better than making the playoffs, it is a nice consolation prize for a young team still in need of some pieces.
The pre-lottery Draft odds are as follows, in terms of how the teams line up record-wise:
- Houston Rockets
- Orlando Magic
- Detroit Pistons
- Oklahoma City Thunder
- Indiana Pacers
- Portland Trail Blazers
- Sacramento Kings
- New Orleans Pelicans (via Lakers)
- San Antonio Spurs
- Washington Wizards
- New York Knicks
- Oklahoma City Thunder (via Clippers)
- Charlotte Hornets
- Cleveland Cavaliers
Time will tell if this order holds, but it’s how things look for now.