Cleveland Cavaliers win 2014 NBA draft lottery

Author:
Ben Golliver
Publish date:
May 20, 2014

Cavaliers GM David Griffin brought home the 2014 No. 1 pick on Tuesday. (Jesse D. Garrabrant/Getty Images)

The Cleveland Cavaliers won the rights to the No. 1 pick in the 2014 NBA draft during the league's annual lottery drawing on Tuesday. The draft is set for June 26.

Cleveland won the top pick for the second straight year and the third time in four years. The Cavaliers selected Duke guard Kyrie Irving with the No. 1 pick in 2011 and UNLV forward Anthony Bennett with the No. 1 pick in 2013.

The Cavaliers jumped up from the No. 9 spot to earn the top selection, even though they had just a 1.7 percent chance of earning the top pick.

Kansas forward Andrew Wiggins, Kansas center Joel Embiid and Duke forward Jabari Parker are expected to be among the candidates to be selected with the No. 1 pick in what is regarded as one of the strongest draft classes in recent years.

"It's a really defining moment for us," Cavaliers GM David Griffin said.

After finishing with a 33-49 record and missing the playoffs for the fourth straight season, the Cavaliers fired coach Mike Brown earlier this month and have yet to name a replacement. Griffin replaced former GM Chris Grant, who was fired in February.

The Bucks finished with a league-worst 15-67 record and will pick second after falling from the No. 1 slot in the draft order. The Sixers, who finished with the league's second-worst record at 19-63, will select No. 3 overall.

Three lottery picks changed hands on Tuesday.

The Hornets received the No. 9 pick from the Pistons as part of a 2012 trade involving Ben Gordon. Detroit's pick had been top-eight protected, but the Pistons fell out of the No. 8 slot in the draft lottery order when the Cavaliers jumped over them.

The Sixers received the No. 10 pick from the Pelicans as part of a 2013 trade involving Jrue Holiday. New Orleans' pick had been top-five protected.

The Magic received the No. 12 pick from the Nuggets -- via the Knicks -- as part of a 2012 four-team trade involving Dwight Howard.

The full 2014 first-round draft order is below.

1. Cleveland Cavaliers

2. Milwaukee Bucks

3. Philadelphia 76ers

4. Orlando Magic

5. Utah Jazz

6. Boston Celtics

7. Los Angeles Lakers

8. Sacramento Kings

9. Charlotte Hornets (via Detroit Pistons)