2016 NBA Draft Order, Lottery Odds

The future for several NBA teams hinges on the May 17th draft lottery, but the work doesn’t end for the teams that luck out that night. It remains imperative to nail the draft on June 23rd, and if the right prospect isn’t available, a trade is always an option.

Picks are commonly swapped from team to team on draft night, so that, plus the lottery, means the order below is unlikely to hold. Still, this shows the draft assets and possibilities that teams have as they seek to improve in the offseason.

Lottery order (Odds of landing top pick in bold)

1. Sixers — (the Sixers have the right to swap picks with the Kings if Kings’ pick is in top 10) — 25%
2. Lakers — (will send pick to Sixers if not in top 3) — 19.9%
3. Celtics (via Nets) — 15.6%
4. Suns — 11.9%
5. Timberwolves — 8.8%
6. Pelicans — 6.3%
7. Knicks (will send pick to Nuggets if Denver exercises right to swap picks; otherwise pick goes to Raptors) — 4.3%
8. Kings (will send pick to Bulls if not in top 10; otherwise, Sixers have the right to swap picks) — 1.9%
9. Nuggets (will send pick to Raptors if Denver exercises right to swap picks with Knicks) — 1.9%
10. Bucks — 1.8%
11. Magic — 0.8%
12. Jazz — 0.7%
13. Wizards (will send pick to Suns if not in top 9) — 0.6%
14. Bulls — 0.5%

Remainder of first round

15. Nuggets (via Rockets)
16. Celtics (via Mavericks)
17. Grizzlies
18. Pistons
19. Nuggets (via Trail Blazers)
20. Pacers
21. Hawks
22. Hornets
23. Celtics
24. Sixers (via Heat)
25. Clippers
26. Sixers (via Thunder)
27. Raptors
28. Suns (via Cavaliers)
29. Spurs
30. Warriors

Second round

31. Celtics (via Sixers)
32. Lakers
33. Clippers (via Nets)
34. Suns
35. Celtics (via Timberwolves)
36. Bucks (via Pelicans)
37. Rockets (via Knicks)
*38. Bucks
*39. Pelicans (via Nuggets)
*40. Pelicans (via Kings)
41. Magic
42. Jazz
43. Rockets
44. Hawks (via Wizards)
45. Celtics (via Grizzlies)
46. Mavericks
47. Magic (via Bulls)
48. Bulls (via Trail Blazers)
49. Pistons
50. Pacers
51. Celtics (via Heat)
52. Jazz (via Celtics)
53. Nuggets (via Hornets)
54. Hawks
55. Nets (via Clippers)
56. Nuggets (via Thunder)
57. Grizzlies (via Raptors)
58. Celtics (via Cavaliers)
59. Kings (via Spurs)
60. Jazz (via Warriors)

* The order of picks 38 through 40 depends on the lottery. The Bucks’ second-round pick and the second-rounders originally belonging to the Nuggets and Kings will go in the reverse order of the picks originally belonging to each team in the first round.

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