The Celtics don’t have a lottery pick this season, but Sunday’s lottery is still crucially important to the future of the franchise. Several teams in the Eastern Conference have a rare chance to add a generational star and quickly become a team that’s competing with Boston year after year. On the other side of the coin, there are a number of teams that could use a top pick to trade for a star, which could cloud the Celtics’ chances of achieving that exact goal.
Luckily, there are also quite a few teams that seem fairly harmless in regard to Boston. For example, teams in the midst of a clear rebuild, like the Jazz and Wizards, vaulting to the top of the draft wouldn’t do much to change the immediate future.
But here are the teams that Celtics fans should watch for, and how this lottery and draft could impact the team in green.
Indiana Pacers (14% chance at #1, 52.1% top 4)
The Pacers, like the Celtics, were facing a gap year, but unlike the Celtics, they actually took it. With Tyrese Haliburton out for the season and Myles Turner leaving for Milwaukee, this team leaned all the way in and finished with the second-worst record in the league. But Hali will be back next season, and they traded for Ivica Zubac to man the middle, so they should be right back to being East contenders next season.
If they secure a top-four pick, they could add a star rookie to a team that’s not even 12 months removed from a Finals run, or use it as one of the best trade-chips in the league to acquire another star. But if it falls to fifth or worse, they owe the pick to the Clippers and add nobody.
Brooklyn Nets (14% #1, 52.1% top 4)
The Nets aren’t good, but they love to make big moves and reside in a big market, and in Boston’s division. With a top pick, they could try to go all in and rebuild a contender on the fly. It’s not likely, but it’s not impossible.
Atlanta Hawks (9.8% #1, 43.2% top 4)
The Hawks are the other team that, like the Pacers, could be contenders with Boston as soon as next season. They burst onto the scene with their promising young core, and thanks to some excellent trades, they’ll receive the better of the Bucks’ and Pelicans’ picks. So a team that just finished sixth in the East, and was surging, now has a very real chance to add a stud rookie or an elite trade chip. They’re building something dangerous in Atlanta.
Milwaukee Bucks (0% #1, nonzero chance top 4)
The Bucks have an outside chance at a top-four pick, and they need it badly. Maybe, if the pick is good enough, they can use it to convince Giannis to stay. Not likely, but couldn’t hurt. Big for their rebuild either way.
Golden State Warriors (2% #1, 9.4% top 4)
If the Warriors sneak into the top four, they could get back into the Giannis bidding.
Oklahoma City Thunder (1.5% #1, 7.1% top 4)
If this team keeps stacking assets, it’s going to get harder and harder for any other team to win a title.
Miami Heat (1% #1, 4.8% top 4)
If the Heat sneak away with a top pick, that would certainly be annoying and give them an actual path to rebuilding on the fly, or even trading for someone like Giannis or KD.
Charlotte Hornets (0.5%, 2.4% top 4)
The Hornets have one of the best young cores in the East. Adding another top-four pick could launch them to contender status as soon as next season.
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