Luke Walton To Remain Kings’ Head Coach
Luke Walton will remain as the Kings’ head coach, a league source tells James Ham of NBC Sports Bay Area (Twitter link).
Walton had been publicly supported by numerous players, including Tyrese Haliburton, Richaun Holmes and Harrison Barnes, who praised their head coach in media interviews on Monday. The Kings made a belated playoff run despite injury and illness and Walton also has a strong working relationship with GM Monte McNair and the front office (Twitter links).
Walton had said over the weekend he was “very confident” he’d be retained. Monetary factors worked in Walton’s favor as well, since he’s reportedly owed $11.5MM over the next two seasons.
Walton spoke of ending the team’s playoff drought next season prior to the season finale, saying this offseason will be critical. The team has gone 31-41 in each of Walton’s seasons at the helm.
“We have an offseason plan put in place from when they’re going to be in Sacramento, and what coaches will be working with them, and what we need them focused on,” Walton said.
Walton will speak to the media on Tuesday.
Pelicans Notes: Ball, Williamson, Ingram, Hayes, Luxury Tax, Offseason
The big question looming over the Pelicans this offseason is whether restricted free agent Lonzo Ball will remain with the franchise. Ball told Andrew Lopez of ESPN and other media members on Monday he’d like to stay.
“That’s a conversation between me and my agent moving forward. But obviously I would love to be back,” Ball said. “I built a bond here with the coaches and the teammates who are here. I definitely wouldn’t mind coming back at all.”
Franchise player Zion Williamson is also hoping that Ball will remain. The front office will have to extend a $14.36MM qualifying offer to prevent Ball from becoming an unrestricted free agent, then would have the ability to match any offer sheet he signs.
“I really would want ‘Zo to come back,” Williamson said. “He knows that. But you know, like I said, the reality of the situation is ‘Zo is a grown man, so he’ll make the decision that’s best for him. The only thing I can say is I hope he stays.”
We have more on the Pelicans:
- Brandon Ingram is another fan of Ball’s, calling him a “generational” talent due to his passing ability, Lopez tweets. Ingram is also hopeful that another one of the Pelicans’ RFAs, Josh Hart ($5.23MM qualifying offer), will stay put.
- The injury big man Jaxson Hayes suffered in the season finale on Sunday was a muscle contusion, Will Guillory of The Athletic tweets. Hayes confirms the injury is a short-term issue, Lopez tweets. “There’s a little bit of swelling and I can’t bend it too well,” Hayes said. “But it’s just a contusion. I’ll be fine in a week or so.”
- Executive VP of basketball operations David Griffin said he purposely kept the team under the luxury tax, though there was no mandate from ownership. He said his bosses are willing to pay the tax in the future once it becomes a serious title contender, Lopez relays in a string of tweets. “It was something where we didn’t want to start our clock,” Griffin said. “I think this organization and ownership team has been very clear with us that when we have a chance to put the pedal to the medal and build a championship team… I believe there is a willingness to do that. But it’s about picking your spots.”
- Finding the right combination of players around Williamson is the ultimate front office goal for the franchise, Bobby Marks of ESPN (Insider link) writes. Marks takes a deep dive into the Pelicans’ offseason decisions, their cap situation, and the draft. New Orleans owns not only a lottery pick but four second-rounders.
Lauri Markkanen Will Explore Free Agent Options
Lauri Markkanen will test the free agent waters, regardless of whether the Bulls extend a qualifying offer, he told K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago.
“My thing is I think I’ve always been a team-first guy. And I think now it’s time to look at the business side of the game,” Markkanen said. “I feel like I’m only 23 years old and I have a lot of basketball ahead of me. It’s a good opportunity to look what’s out there for me. I can be a focal point. I think I have a lot more to offer.”
The qualifying offer to make Markkanen a restricted free agent is worth approximately $9MM. It’s unclear just how much the Bulls want him back, though executive VP of basketball operations Artūras Karnišovas diplomatically said on Monday, “I think Lauri is an important part of our team. I’m looking forward to talking to his representation.” (Twitter link).
Markkanen turned down the Bulls’ extension offer in December when they couldn’t agree on the numbers. There was roughly a $4MM-per-year gap between the parties, according to Johnson.
Markkanen was part of the package the Bulls offered to the Pelicans for point guard Lonzo Ball at the trade deadline, Johnson adds. Those talks fell through, but Markkanen’s playing time and role was impacted by the additions of Nikola Vučević and Daniel Theis. He was moved into a reserve role, even though he considers himself a starter.
“Obviously, our team changed a lot and changed my role,” he said. “That was a little bit of an adjustment. I tried to play my role as well as I could.”
Growing Confidence Masai Ujiri Will Remain With Raptors?
Raptors president of basketball operations Masai Ujiri isn’t under contract with the franchise beyond the 2020/21 season, but there’s growing confidence that the two sides will be able to complete a new deal that extends Ujiri’s time in Toronto, says Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca.
“Masai doesn’t share a lot; he’s very private and strategic in his own way,” a source close to Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment, the Raptors’ ownership group, told Grange. “But if you were asking, ‘Are they going to sign Masai?’ I would put it at 95 per cent yes.”
Grange cautions that the 95% estimate is just a prediction from one plugged-in insider, but says there have been other positive signals as of late. According to Grange, Ujiri – who has ceded some front office responsibilities to general manager Bobby Webster – has seemed more involved, engaged, and forward-looking in recent weeks. One source says Ujiri has been more active in communicating with players, both in person and via text.
“We talked about winning and winning another title with the Raptors,” one agent who recently met with Ujiri told Grange. “He seems like he’s in a really good place.”
Grange also notes that no front office jobs in marquee markets like Los Angeles and New York seem likely to open this offseason, given how well those teams have performed. The Wizards have reportedly had interest in Ujiri in the past, but it’s unclear whether they’ll be looking to make any front office changes this spring or if they’d be willing to outbid Toronto for the former Executive of the Year.
There has been some speculation around the league that Ujiri may eventually wind up in Seattle if the league approves a new franchise, as Marc Stein of the New York Times reported last month. Longtime sports executive Tim Leiweke, who hired Ujiri as Toronto’s executive vice president and GM in 2013, is involved in Seattle’s expansion efforts.
However, as Grange points out, while the NBA has seemed more open to expansion as of late, it still appears to be multiple years away, and it seems unlikely that Ujiri would take a hiatus while waiting for such an opportunity. Even if running an expansion franchise is something that appeals to him, he and the Raptors may end up working out a shorter-term contract that gives him some flexibility, Grange writes.
“They’re going to try to sign him for as long as they reasonably can, (but) if they have to sign him for less, they’ll sign him for less,” the source close to MLSE told Sportsnet. “They don’t have a lot of leverage. They want him. If he wants (a shorter deal) what are they going to say, no?”
And-Ones: Albert, EuroLeague Imports, Scola, Offseason
The NBA will lose an iconic voice later this year, as Hall of Fame broadcaster Marv Albert is retiring at the conclusion of the NBA’s postseason, as reported by Andrew Marchand and Phil Mushnick of The New York Post. Albert and Turner Sports put out an official announcement today confirming the decision.
Albert, who will turn 80 in June, began calling NBA games in the 1960s and was the longtime voice of the Knicks. He also called the NBA Finals for NBC for many years. This year’s Eastern Conference Finals will be his last series as a broadcaster.
Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:
- In the wake of EuroLeague standouts like Luca Vildoza, Gabriel Deck, and Mike James signing late-season NBA contracts, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype explored whether those in-season arrivals from Europe’s top league could become a trend going forward or whether they’re just a byproduct of the NBA’s unusual 2020/21 schedule.
- There’s a growing expectation that longtime NBA forward Luis Scola will officially retire as a player after he represents Argentina in this year’s Olympics, per a report from La Prealpina in Italy (hat tip to Sportando). Scola, who played for Varese in Italy in 2020/21, could end up returning to the club in a management role.
- In an Insider-only article for ESPN.com, Bobby Marks breaks down the key dates and deadlines to watch during the coming NBA offseason.
Bulls Notes: Vucevic, LaVine, Young, Temple
In his end-of-season comments following the Bulls‘ regular season finale on Sunday, head coach Billy Donovan admitted that he was disappointed his team didn’t make the playoffs. However, he doesn’t believe it’s fair to conclude that the midseason trade bringing Nikola Vucevic to Chicago was a mistake, as Sam Smith of Bulls.com writes.
“The one thing that I’ve seen – and I haven’t been in the NBA that long – when you look at these trades, most of the trades are trades to add. Guys coming off the bench or filling a hole. But this was a trade where immediately a guy comes in and now he’s unequivocally 1A or 1B,” Donovan said. “Those things don’t normally happen in the NBA. The whole entire thing got kind of flipped upside down.”
Donovan, who pointed out that the Bulls didn’t have much in-season practice time to properly assimilate Vucevic and the club’s other newcomers, expressed that he believes the trade will pay off in the long run. That was an opinion that Vucevic shared, as K.C. Johnson of NBA Sports Chicago tweets.
“This trade wasn’t just made for this year,” Vucevic said. “It was made for the future of the franchise.”
Here are a few more Bulls-related notes as the team looks ahead to an eventful offseason:
- As he prepares to enter a contract year, Zach LaVine said today that he loves being in Chicago and is very excited about the team’s future, according to K.C. Johnson (Twitter links). Asked about his next contract, LaVine replied, “It’s a business at the end of the day. I definitely want what I deserve.”
- A recent report suggested LaVine may be willing to sign for less than his maximum salary, but there are several factors that affect what LaVine’s “max” will be at a given time between now and the summer of 2022. Those factors include whether he signs an extension or waits for free agency, whether he earns All-NBA honors this year or next, and – if he signs an extension – whether the Bulls are willing to renegotiate his current deal to give him an immediate raise. It’s possible LaVine would be willing to take a slight discount in some of those scenarios, but not in others.
- Thaddeus Young, who has a $6MM partial guarantee on his $14.2MM salary for 2021/22, said today that he hasn’t been told whether or not he’ll be retained, but added that he’s fully committed to the Bulls and that he has had only positive discussions with management and the coaching staff (Twitter link via Johnson).
- An unrestricted free agent this summer, Garrett Temple reiterated his interest in sticking with the Bulls, tweets Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic. “I can never say what’s going to happen in free agency. I can only say what I would like to happen,” Temple said. “I really enjoyed Chicago. Even with the snow. Even during a pandemic. The organization, from what I’m hearing, took a turn for the better.”
Poll: Eastern Conference Play-In Games
The NBA’s 2021 play-in tournament will tip off on Tuesday night, when the No. 9 Pacers face the No. 10 Hornets in Indiana, followed by the No. 7 Celtics hosting the No. 8 Wizards in Boston.
By the end of the night, one team – either Boston or Washington – will have secured the No. 7 seed, earning a first-round date with the Nets. And one team – either Indiana or Charlotte – will be eliminated from postseason contention altogether.
The Pacers/Hornets matchup would be a little more intriguing if both teams were at full strength. Unfortunately, the Pacers will be without one of their top scorers (T.J. Warren) and are expected to be missing their defensive anchor (Myles Turner) as well. The Hornets, meanwhile, have gotten a little healthier as of late, but still don’t have their $120MM man (Gordon Hayward) available.
That doesn’t mean Indiana and Charlotte can’t play an entertaining game though. LaMelo Ball will be looking to put the finishing touches on a Rookie of the Year caliber season, while Nate Bjorkgren may be coaching for his job. Neither team will want its season to come to an end on Tuesday.
As for the headlining contest of the night, the fact that the Wizards are even involved in this game is pretty incredible. Washington started off the season with a 6-17 record and was 17-32 in early April. Since then, the team has reeled off 17 wins in 23 games, securing the No. 8 spot for the play-in tournament and looking a whole lot more dangerous as of late than the reeling Celtics.
The Celtics made the Eastern Conference Finals last season and entered the year with the aspirations of making another deep playoff run. It has been an up-and-down season in Boston though, and it has been trending down as of late. The C’s finished the season by losing nine of their last 13 games, and their only four wins in that stretch came against sub-.500 teams. With Jaylen Brown out for the season, the club will be shorthanded as it looks to secure a playoff spot.
Still, while the Wizards aren’t missing any top players, Bradley Beal continues to deal with a hamstring injury and isn’t at 100% entering the play-in tournament, as Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN writes. If the Eastern Conference’s leading scorer doesn’t look like his usual self, it may be an uphill battle for the Wizards to pick up a win in Boston.
We want to know what you think. Which teams will win the two Eastern Conference play-in games on Tuesday? Make your picks in the polls below, then head to the comment section to weigh in on which club will win Thursday’s play-in game to claim the No. 8 seed.
Which team will win on Tuesday and avoid elimination?
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Charlotte Hornets 56% (721)
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Indiana Pacers 44% (557)
Total votes: 1,278
Trade Rumors app users, click here to vote on Pacers/Hornets.
Which team will win on Tuesday and secure the No. 7 seed?
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Washington Wizards 64% (872)
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Boston Celtics 36% (496)
Total votes: 1,368
Trade Rumors app users, click here to vote on Celtics/Wizards.
Northwest Notes: Horford, Muscala, Towns, Vanderbilt, Nuggets
The rebuilding Thunder shut down big men Al Horford and Mike Muscala in the second half of the 2020/21 season, with neither veteran playing a single minute after the March trade deadline. Muscala is now facing unrestricted free agency, while Horford has two years left on his contract, including a partial guarantee in the second year.
Asked today about their respective futures, neither player sounded certain he’d be back in Oklahoma City in ’21/22, but Muscala said he’d “love to be here” going forward, as Joe Mussatto of The Oklahoman tweets. Meanwhile, an offseason trade to a team closer to contention seems like a realistic next step for Horford, and he didn’t rule out that possibility.
“I’m sure that I’ll be talking with the team and we’ll figure out what’s best,” Horford said, per Mussatto (Twitter link).
Here are a few more notes from around the Northwest:
- Timberwolves big man Karl-Anthony Towns told reporters today that he won’t require offseason surgery on the wrist he dislocated at the start of the season, tweets Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic.
- In a story for The Athletic, Krawczynski takes a deep dive into the long, winding path that Jarred Vanderbilt took to become an NBA regular for the first time this season. The Timberwolves forward, who had logged 120 total minutes in two NBA seasons entering 2020/21, started 30 of the 64 games he played this year, averaging 5.4 PPG and 5.8 RPG on 60.6% shooting in 17.8 minutes per contest.
- The Nuggets are increasing the capacity of Ball Arena for the playoffs from 4,050 fans (22.1% capacity) to a maximum attendance of 7,750 (42.3%), according to The Denver Post. Denver is one of a handful of teams expecting more fans at postseason games, as coronavirus-related gathering limits begin to loosen in states across the nations.
Pacific Notes: Curry, LeBron, Walton, Ibaka
While Nikola Jokic is considered the odds-on favorite to win this season’s NBA MVP award, Lakers forward LeBron James has endorsed a division rival for the honor, telling reporters on Sunday night that Warriors guard Stephen Curry would get his vote.
“I mean, just look at what he’s done this year,” James said of the NBA’s leading scorer (link via Dave McMenamin of ESPN). “I don’t know anything else if you’re looking for an MVP. If Steph is not on Golden State’s team, what are we looking at? … We get caught up in the records sometimes. We get caught up in the, ‘OK, who has the best record?’ instead of just saying who had the best season that year. And Steph has had, in my opinion, the best season all year.”
Curry has won two MVP awards, but his performance this season may have been his most impressive yet, considering the Warriors didn’t have high-scoring options like Klay Thompson and Kevin Durant available to draw attention away from him. Despite facing double-teams and traps for much of the season, Curry averaged a career-best 32.0 points per game on .482/.421/.916 shooting in 63 games (34.2 MPG). His 5.3 three-pointers per game also represented a new career high.
Here’s more from around the Pacific:
- Bill Shea of The Athletic explores what life after basketball might look like for LeBron James, who will turn 37 later this year. The Lakers star, who has already ventured into the media and business worlds during his playing career, also aims to one day own an NBA franchise.
- After expressing last week that he was “very confident” about keeping his job as the Kings‘ head coach, Luke Walton explained on Sunday why he’s not worried, as Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee relays. “It doesn’t weigh on me because it’s the same thing I always talk about — it’s control what you can control — the same message I give my players every day,” Walton said. He added that he felt the story of Sacramento’s season should be the growth of the team’s young players. “I’m excited about this group and excited about our future,” the Kings’ coach said.
- Having returned on Friday after missing two months due to a back injury, Clippers big man Serge Ibaka told reporters that he has played with back pain since the start of the season, per Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN (Twitter link). It’s a nerve issue, according to Ibaka, who admitted he’s still not back to 100%.
Checking In On NBA’s 2021 Lottery Standings, Projected Draft Order
The 2020/21 NBA regular season is officially over, but the draft order for July 29 has not yet been set. A handful of factors, including the play-in results, random tiebreakers, and – of course – the lottery results themselves will ultimately determine what the 60 picks in the 2021 NBA draft look like. But with the 72-game season in the books, there’s plenty we do know.
Let’s dive in and check in on a few key aspects of the lottery standings and projected draft order…
Tentative lottery standings/odds
So far, only 10 of the 14 teams involved in the draft lottery are known, since the four teams eliminated in the play-in tournament will occupy spots 11 through 14. With the help of data from Tankathon and our own reverse standings, here’s a general idea of what their odds will look like for those top 10 teams:
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HOU | 14 | 13.4 | 12.7 | 12 | 47.9 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| DET | 14 | 13.4 | 12.7 | 12 | 27.8 | 20 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| ORL | 14 | 13.4 | 12.7 | 12 | 14.8 | 26 | 7 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| OKC* | 11.5 | 11.4 | 11.2 | 11 | 7.4 | 27.1 | 18 | 2.4 | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| CLE* | 11.5 | 11.4 | 11.2 | 11 | 2.0 | 18.2 | 25.5 | 8.6 | 0.6 | – | – | – | – | – |
| MIN | 9 | 9.2 | 9.4 | 9.6 | – | 8.6 | 29.8 | 20.6 | 3.7 | 0.1 | – | – | – | – |
| TOR | 7.5 | 7.8 | 8.1 | 8.5 | – | – | 19.7 | 34.1 | 12.9 | 1.3 | >0 | – | – | – |
| SAC* | 4.5 | 4.8 | 5.2 | 5.7 | – | – | – | 34.5 | 36.2 | 8.5 | 0.5 | >0 | – | – |
| CHI* | 4.5 | 4.8 | 5.2 | 5.7 | – | – | – | – | 46.4 | 29.4 | 3.9 | 0.1 | >0 | – |
| NOP* | 4.5 | 4.8 | 5.2 | 5.7 | – | – | – | – | – | 60.6 | 17.9 | 1.2 | >0 | >0 |
Because the Thunder and Cavaliers finished with matching 22-50 records and the Kings, Bulls, and Pelicans all tied at 31-41, random tiebreakers will be completed to determine their exact lottery positioning. So their lottery odds, in italics, are just tentative so far.
While those tied teams receive identical odds at landing a top-four pick, regardless of the tiebreaker results, their spot in the lottery standings will affect where they land if they don’t move into the top four.
For instance, the Magic – who own Chicago’s first-rounder if it’s not in the top four – will certainly be rooting for the Bulls to win their tiebreaker over Sacramento and New Orleans. If the Bulls win that tiebreaker, their odds of moving into the top four won’t change, but the pick could be as high as No. 8 if it’s sent to the Magic. Should the Bulls lose that three-team tiebreaker, Orlando couldn’t receive a pick higher than No. 10.
The different colors in the chart above reflect that those teams could lose their picks. The Rockets‘ pick is top-four protected and will be sent to the Thunder if it lands at No. 5. The Timberwolves‘ pick is top-three protected and will go to the Warriors if it falls outside the top three. And, as discussed above, the Magic will receive the Bulls’ pick if it’s outside of the top four.
The play-in factor
The final four spots in the draft lottery will belong to the four teams that are eliminated in this week’s play-in tournament, sorted by record (worst to best). Here are the eight play-in teams:
- San Antonio Spurs (33-39)
- Charlotte Hornets (33-39)
- Indiana Pacers (34-38)
- Washington Wizards (34-38)
- Boston Celtics (36-36)
- Memphis Grizzlies (38-34)
- Golden State Warriors (39-33)
- Los Angeles Lakers (42-30)
Based on their 42-30 record, the Lakers could end up with a pick as low as No. 23 in the first round of the draft (depending on tiebreaker results). However, in the unlikely event that they lose two play-in games this week and don’t make the playoffs at all, they’d hold the No. 14 spot in the lottery instead.
It’s worth noting that the Spurs and Hornets finished with matching 33-39 records, while the Pacers and Wizards were each 34-38, so if both teams in either of those pairs are eliminated in the play-in tournament, a tiebreaker will be required to determine their spots in the lottery standings.
The tiebreakers
Many tiebreakers will be required to determine either lottery positioning or a team’s specific draft pick. Here are all the teams that finished with identical records, creating a situation where a tiebreaker will (or may) be required:
- Oklahoma City Thunder / Cleveland Cavaliers (22-50)
- Sacramento Kings / Chicago Bulls / New Orleans Pelicans (31-41)
- Note: The Bulls’ pick will be sent to the Magic if it falls outside of the top four.
- San Antonio Spurs / Charlotte Hornets (33-39)
- Note: A tiebreaker would not be required if one team makes the playoffs and the other doesn’t.
- Indiana Pacers / Washington Wizards (34-38)
- Note: A tiebreaker would not be required if one team makes the playoffs and the other doesn’t.
- New York Knicks / Atlanta Hawks (41-31)
- Los Angeles Lakers / Portland Trail Blazers / Dallas Mavericks (42-30)
- Note: The Blazers’ pick will be sent to the Rockets; the Mavericks’ pick will be sent to the Knicks.
- Denver Nuggets / Los Angeles Clippers (47-25)
The traded first-round picks
Here’s a breakdown of the traded first-round picks for the 2021 NBA draft:
Picks that will change hands:
- Knicks acquiring Mavericks‘ pick (unprotected).
- This pick will land somewhere in the 21-23 range, depending on the tiebreaker results.
- Thunder acquiring Heat‘s pick (unprotected).
- This pick will land at either No. 18 or 19. While the Thunder will initially control it, they could end up swapping it for the Rockets’ pick — more details on that are below.
- Rockets acquiring Trail Blazers‘ pick (top-14 protected).
- This pick will land somewhere in the 21-23 range, depending on the tiebreaker results.
- Rockets acquiring Bucks‘ pick (top-nine protected swap).
- The Rockets will swap their second-round pick (No. 31) for the Bucks’ first-round pick (No. 24).
Picks that won’t change hands:
- Grizzlies acquiring Jazz‘s pick (1-7 and 15-30 protection).
- This pick will be No. 30, falling in its protected range. The Jazz will instead owe the Grizzlies their 2022 first-round pick (top-six protected).
- Rockets acquiring Pistons‘ pick (top-16 protected).
- This pick will be between 1-6, falling in its protected range. The Pistons will instead owe the Rockets their 2022 first-round pick (top-16 protected).
- Thunder acquiring Warriors‘ pick (top-20 protected).
- This pick could theoretically as high as No. 1 and as low as No. 18, depending on the play-in and lottery results. In any scenario, it will be protected, so the Warriors will instead send the Timberwolves’ second-round pick (No. 36) to the Thunder.
- Knicks acquiring Clippers‘ pick (unprotected swap)
- The Knicks’ pick will land at No. 19 or 20, while the Clippers’ pick will be No. 25 or 26, so the Knicks will hang onto their own first-rounder rather than swapping.
- Rockets acquiring Nets‘ pick (unprotected swap)
- The Rockets have the ability to swap their own pick, the Trail Blazers’ pick, or the Heat’s pick for the Nets’ pick, but the Nets’ pick will be the lowest (No. 27) of the bunch, so Brooklyn will keep it.
Picks that might change hands:
- Warriors acquiring Timberwolves‘ pick (top-three protected).
- As detailed above, the Timberwolves will have a 27.6% chance of keeping this pick (in the 1-3 range). The Warriors will have a 72.4% chance of receiving it (No. 4 or in the 6-10 range).
- Magic acquiring Bulls‘ pick (top-four protected).
- As detailed above, the Bulls will have a 20.2% chance of keeping this pick (in the 1-4 range). The Magic will have a 79.8% chance of receiving it (somewhere in the 8-14 range, depending on tiebreaker results).
- Pelicans acquiring Lakers‘ pick (8-30 protection).
- In the unlikely event that the Lakers miss the playoffs, they’d still have a 97.6% chance to keep this pick (at No. 14). The Pelicans would have a 2.4% chance of receiving it (in the 1-4 range).
- Thunder acquiring Rockets‘ pick (top-four protected swap)
- The Thunder will have the ability to swap the Heat’s pick (No. 18 or 19) for the Rockets’ pick if Houston lands at No. 5. There’s a 47.9% chance that happens, and a 52.1% chance the Rockets will land in the top four and keep their pick. If Houston hangs onto its pick, the Thunder would keep Miami’s first-rounder.