Lottery Links: Magic, Noel, Thunder, Trades

With less than two hours until the start of the 2013 NBA Draft Lottery, let's round up any and all pre-Lottery notes in one post here.  Be sure to check back with us around 8:00pm CST for an updated list of this year's first 14 picks. 

  • With a 25 percent chance at landing the top pick, the Magic sit in the best position entering the night.  While they are assured a top-four selection, the team will likely look to move the pick if it is worse than No. 2, tweets Sam Amico of FOX Sports.  
  • Kentucky's Nerlens Noel, current rehabbing from a torn ACL, is widely projected to be the first player taken in June.  USA Today's Sean Highkin breaks down how the unique prospect would fit with each of the lottery's 14 participants.  
  • Royce Young from Daily Thunder details what is on the line tonight for the Thunder, who will own the Raptors' first round pick should it fall outside of the top three.  They received the pick in the deal for James Harden (the Rockets got it via the Kyle Lowry deal).  As our Luke Adams wrote earlier today, Toronto only has a 2.6 percent shot at a top-three selection, so the pick will likely go to Oklahoma City.  If so, the Thunder will be picking either 12th or 13th. 
  • The only other trade that could take effect tonight depending on how the ping pong balls bounce is owned by the Blazers, who will send their pick to the Bobcats if it lands outside of the top 12. 
  • While it's not lottery specific, here is a link to RealGM's summary of all pending future draft picks trades. 
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