Tag: NBA Draft Lottery

How Rockets representative Sam Strantz brought good-luck charm to 2024 NBA draft lottery

As Houston’s good-luck charm at the NBA draft lottery, Sam Strantz brought the beanie that his son wore in the hospital when he was recently born.

In recent non-playoff years, it has generally been Clay Allen — general counsel for the Rockets — who represents Houston at the NBA draft lottery. In that capacity, he is one of the select few people who is physically in the room where the lottery drawings take place.

In 2024, however, Allen had a conflict and wasn’t able to attend. In his place, the Rockets sent Sam Strantz, the team’s associate legal counsel.

Despite having only a 20% chance at securing one of the four lottery picks, the Rockets defied the odds and landed the No. 3 first-round selection (via Brooklyn). It’s the fourth consecutive year Houston has won a lottery pick — the first three with Allen and one with Strantz at much worse odds.

The Athletic’s Mike Vorkunov was one of a handful of media members in the room. Of Strantz and the Rockets, he reports:

Sam Strantz, the Rockets’ associate legal counsel, was Houston’s representative inside the lottery room, and he brought some good luck with him. He brought the beanie that his son, Sawyer, wore in the hospital when he was born two months ago.

Before entering, in-room representatives are required to turn over all electronic devices so they cannot communicate the lottery results until they are announced on stage (and broadcast on live television) later in the day. Thus, many bring non-digital artifacts.

In 2025, the Rockets own the fully unprotected right to swap first-round picks with the Nets (32-50), which could give them a chance to go five-for-five in draft-lottery wins this decade.

Whether it’s Allen or Strantz, Houston seems to have luck on its side.

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The Detroit Pistons lose the NBA Draft lottery once again

The Detroit Pistons lose the NBA Draft lottery once again, something the NFL and the Lions never have to worry about

The NFL has long avoided adopting any sort of draft lottery system. The worst team earns the top pick every year. It’s a system that has generally served the league, not to mention the Detroit Lions, pretty well over the years.

The NBA, of course, has had a draft lottery for almost 40 years now. The worst team doesn’t get the first pick automatically. In fact, the team with the worst record can fall to fifth in the draft if they don’t get lucky in the weighted lottery.

Such is the case for the Detroit Pistons. For the second year in a row, the Pistons had the NBA’s worst record in the regular season. And for the second year in a row, the Pistons got the worst possible outcome in the NBA draft lottery. They will pick fifth despite having a franchise-worst 14-68 record.

In the NBA’s system, the Atlanta Hawks catapulted from having the 10th-worst record to the No. 1 pick. That’s akin to the New York Jets vaulting from the 10th pick in the 2024 NFL draft to the top spot on the fate of a three percent chance to win the lottery.

Imagine if the Lions had lost any draft lottery in 2022 and wound up losing the chance to select Aidan Hutchinson, or back in 2007 and missing out on Hall of Famer Calvin Johnson because the wrong ping-pong ball came up.

Ausar Thompson’s awkward reaction after the Pistons fell in the draft lottery is so relatable for Detroit fans

The Pistons’ future is still so bleak.

Look, this year’s NBA Draft doesn’t have a prospect of the caliber of someone like Victor Wembanayama. So, the stakes of losing out on the No. 1 pick or falling in the draft order aren’t necessarily as grand, even though there are plenty of potentially awesome rotational players available.

Even still, you have to feel bad for the Detroit Pistons and their poor fans after Sunday afternoon’s demoralizing result in the NBA Draft Lottery.

RELATED: The latest NBA Mock Draft after the Hawks earned the top pick

Despite finishing with the NBA’s worst record in each of the last two seasons, the Pistons earned just … the No. 5 pick in both drafts. They literally won 31 total games in two years and still couldn’t crack the top three on either occasion. That is just brutal. There’s no other reasonable way of putting it.

Now, again, losing out on Wembanyama hurt a lot more than this instance. But if you’re young guard Ausar Thompson, you still would’ve liked to see the pinballs go in your team’s favor for a higher pick, at least once.

His awkward reaction after the Pistons’ latest poor stroke of luck says it all:

The Pistons have some nice pieces, but for the time being, they don’t seem to fit together all that well. It would’ve been nice to have a chance at a better player with a higher pick, but it appears that the basketball gods have different plans for Detroit.

Brandin Podziemski represents Warriors at NBA draft lottery

The Warriors first round pick from the 2023 draft represented the team at the NBA draft lottery on Sunday.

When they didn’t secure a spot in the Western Conference playoffs, the Golden State Warriors earned a place at the NBA draft lottery. However, heading into the lottery on Sunday, the Warriors had slim chances of keeping their 2024 first-round selection.

For the Warriors to retain their pick, they needed to land in the top four of the lottery. If the Warriors’ pick didn’t end up in the top four, the pick would go to the Portland Trail Blazers as a part of a previous trade.

The Warriors pick had a 0.7% chance of returning to the Warriors in the top four.

To represent the Warriors and potentially provide some good luck in retaining the pick, Brandin Podziemski is representing Golden State on stage at the lottery in Chicago.

Via @warriors on X:

Other players from around the league are also representing their teams: Charlotte’s Brandon Miller, Detroit’s Ausar Thompson, Portland’s Scoot Henderson, Sacramento’s Keegan Murray and Toronto’s Scottie Barnes.

This post originally appeared on Warriors Wire! Follow us on Facebook and X! 

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Report: Ime Udoka to represent Rockets at 2024 NBA draft lottery

Head coach Ime Udoka was the on-stage representative when Houston won one of four draft lottery picks in 2023, and he’ll try his luck again in 2024.

Head coach Ime Udoka was the on-stage representative for the Houston Rockets at the 2023 NBA draft lottery, which is when Houston won the last of four lottery selections at the top of the first round.

That pick became Amen Thompson, who just wrapped up a very successful rookie season with the Rockets.

Perhaps with that in mind, Udoka is again set to represent the Rockets as Sunday’s podium representative at the 2024 lottery, per Kelly Iko of The Athletic. The lottery takes place in Chicago, which is where the 2024 draft combine will be held over the coming days.

With Udoka already there to scout potential additions to the roster this offseason, it makes sense for him to be the representative.

Of course, the Rockets had a 52.1% chance of landing a top-four selection in 2023. This year, the odds are below 30%, even when combining both the incoming first-round pick from Brooklyn (No. 9 odds slot) and Houston’s own pick (No. 12 odds slot). That latter pick is top-four-protected and will otherwise go to Oklahoma City.

ABC will televise Sunday’s draft lottery at 2 p.m. Central.

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NBA changes to Sunday afternoon time slot for 2024 draft lottery

In contrast to recent years, when the NBA’s draft lottery was held on Tuesday night, the 2024 version takes place Sunday afternoon on ABC.

In recent years, the NBA’s annual draft lottery has taken place on Tuesday evening prior to an ESPN broadcast of a playoff game.

For 2024, however, that is changing. This year, the lottery takes place on Sunday, May 12, at 2 p.m. Central — just prior to ABC’s broadcast of Game 4 of the second-round series between the New York Knicks and Indiana Pacers. It appears the league sees value in placing the lottery on over-the-air television, as opposed to strictly cable.

The weighted lottery system determines the top-four order among the 14 first-round picks initially belonging to non-playoff teams. From No. 5 onward, the order is slotted by record, from worst to best.

The Rockets will have two chances to nab one of those four lottery picks — one via Brooklyn (which enters at the No. 9 odds slot) and also their own (which enters at No. 12). Houston will keep possession of the pick from the Nets, no matter what, but the Rockets will lose their pick to Oklahoma City unless it lands in the top four.

A detailed look at Houston’s 2024 NBA lottery probabilities and potential draft prospects is available here.

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2024 NBA mock drafts: February’s first-round projections for Rockets

As the 2024 calendar turns to February, here’s a look at who NBA draft analysts are projecting will join the Rockets this summer with a top-10 pick (via Brooklyn).

With three wins in four games, the Brooklyn Nets (20-28) could finally be stabilizing. But the damage has already been done. They had lost 11 of 13 and 17 of 21 as of late January, and it remains to be seen if they can overcome that stretch.

If the Nets’ horrid play continues, the beneficiary would be the Houston Rockets, who own Brooklyn’s 2024 first-round draft selection as part of the blockbuster James Harden trade from January 2021.

Entering Monday, Feb. 5, the Nets were eighth in the NBA’s pre-draft lottery standings. If they ended up in that spot, it would create a 26.3% chance of having a top-four lottery selection and a 6% shot at No. 1.

Though the Rockets (23-26) are likely to lose their own first-round draft pick to Oklahoma City as part of the 2019 Chris Paul-Russell Westbrook trade, it’s worth noting that unlike the Harden-Brooklyn deal, the conveyance of Houston’s pick is top-four protected.

So, if the Rockets miss the 2023-24 Western Conference playoffs, they will actually have multiple chances — both with their own pick, and the one from Brooklyn, which they will receive no matter what — at securing a top-four pick in the first round 2024 NBA draft.

And if Houston loses its pick to the Thunder due to not winning the lottery, it’s becoming increasingly likely the pick they receive from Brooklyn would be higher in the first-round order, anyway.

With that in mind, here’s a look at who draft experts have going to Houston (with the Brooklyn pick) in the latest wave of mock drafts. Keep in mind that the projected pick slot varies based on the exact date of each mock’s publication, since the standings change daily.

NBA Draft order: A look at where every team is picking after the NBA lottery

Here’s where every team is picking following the NBA lottery.

It’s officially NBA Draft season, folks. The lottery is over and we now know exactly where Victor Wembanyama will be headed.

San Antonio Spurs fans will be absolutely thrilled to get someone who NBA folks are calling the most exciting prospect we’ve seen in league history.

But, beyond Wembanyama, there’s still an entire draft class of players who will need to find new homes as they enter into the NBA. The teams picking through the class still have plenty of work to do before they decide who, exactly, they’re taking — even beyond the lottery.

With that said, now that everything is set, here’s the official and complete order for the 2023 NBA Draft (and check out our latest NBA mock draft after the lottery!)

UPDATE: We adjusted this after the Celtics, Wizards and Grizzlies trade

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2023 NBA mock drafts: Houston Rockets post-lottery pick projections

With the NBA’s 2023 draft lottery results now in, Amen Thompson is becoming an increasingly popular projection to Houston at No. 4 overall in the first round. #Rockets

Entering Tuesday’s 2023 NBA draft lottery, the Houston Rockets had a 14% chance of selecting No. 1 overall in the first round. That was followed by 13.4% odds of the No. 2 pick; 12.7% for the No. 3 selection; 12.0% for the No. 4 pick; 27.8% for No. 5; and 20.0% for No. 6.

Unlike 2021 and 2022, when Houston gained one of the best-case outcomes at No. 2 (Jalen Green) and No. 3 (Jabari Smith Jr.), respectively, the Rockets did not have the same luck in 2023. This year, they drew the No. 4 spot as the fourth and final lottery winner.

That means the rebuilding Rockets will not be drafting Victor Wembanyama, the historically talented French big man who is now expected to be drafted by San Antonio at No. 1 overall.

However, the Rockets will still have a number of talented options to choose from. The list potentially includes guard Scoot Henderson of the NBA G League Ignite, guard Amen Thompson of the Overtime Elite, forward Brandon Miller of Alabama and many more.

Houston also owns the No. 20 pick in the first round, which they acquired from the Los Angeles Clippers in the Eric Gordon trade. With both slots confirmed, here’s a post-lottery look at who draft experts have going at No. 4 and No. 20 in their latest mock drafts.

Reports: Rockets already open to trading No. 4 overall draft pick

Jonathan Wasserman (@NBADraftWass) of Bleacher Report and Kelly Iko (@KellyIko) of The Athletic expect the #Rockets to be active in trade talks involving the No. 4 overall draft pick.

Less than 24 hours after landing the No. 4 overall pick via the NBA’s 2023 draft lottery, reports are already emerging that Houston Rockets general manager Rafael Stone is open to trading it.

Had Houston defied the 14.0% odds to land the No. 1 pick (which in-state rival San Antonio did) for uber-talented French prospect Victor Wembanyama, the Rockets would almost certainly have kept the selection. But in other scenarios, Houston is open-minded as it attempts to transition to the next phase of its rebuild.

Kelly Iko of The Athletic writes:

Things are still preliminary, but Houston expects there to be a good amount of interest in acquiring the pick and will listen to inquiries — but are also open to potentially moving down or acquiring a win-now veteran if an opportunity presents itself. This reality, in addition to the potential of selecting yet another talented young player, gives them added flexibility and optimism as they enter into the next phase of their rebuild.

Meanwhile, NBA draft expert Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report writes that Houston could also attempt to trade up.

“Expect the Rockets to try to move up to No. 2 for [Scoot] Henderson, who’d form an explosive pair with Jalen Green,” Wasserman writes in his mock draft. “But [Amen] Thompson is the better passer with far more size and similarly special explosiveness.”

There 2023 draft doesn’t take place until Thursday, June 22, so there are many weeks for Stone and the Rockets to consider their options.

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