NBA Draft: What Teams Will Benefit Most from New Lottery Format

Checking in on which team's could benefit from the NBA's most recent rule changes.

Apr 17, 2026; Orlando, Florida, USA; Charlotte Hornets forward Brandon Miller (24) warms up before the game against the Orlando Magic during the play-in rounds of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Kia Center. Mandatory Credit: Mike Watters-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The NBA Draft Lottery rules have officially been changed, and the 2026-27 regular-season is sure to have transformational side effects.

Some teams will be worse off for the rule changes, which come with penalties for the league's worst teams. Others will benefit from the new desired draft range, which comes with being just above league-worst.

Below, we'll evaluate some teams that could benefit from the changes next season:

OKC Thunder

The Oklahoma City Thunder have been a top contender for years now, having won the title two seasons ago and taking San Antonio to Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals this season. Despite some roster turnover — losing Luguentz Dort, Isaiah Joe and Aaron Wiggins — they’re still set to contend for the title this season, likely as the front-runner.

Despite that, OKC is still churning through its future pick cache. It’s used picks via others to draft players such as Jalen Williams, Cason Wallace, Aday Mara and numerous others, and the team still owns the Clippers, Nuggets and Spurs picks in 2027.

LA might not be one of the worst teams in the league, but they could fit right in the pocket for best odds given Kawhi Leonard’s likely exit.

Washington Wizards

After finally nabbing the No. 1 pick, Washington has now added an elite, top-end prospect in AJ Dybantsa, and is likely ready to hit the “Go” button in the Eastern Conference. The team is armed with former All-Stars in Trae Young and Anthony Davis, as well as a host of still improving young players.

Given how much talent has been added, the Wizards aren’t likely to finish in the bottom-three, but they also might not make real waves in the East yet, either. 

There’s a world where the Wizards drastically improve, develop their young prospects, and with some lottery luck still earn another top pick at the 2027 draft. 

Charlotte Hornets

The Hornets saw a transformational offseason, sending out longtime franchise star LaMelo Ball for Naz Reid and picks, as well as trading Miles Bridges. Now, it’s clear Charlotte will continue to lean into youth and development, loading up on picks in the process.

Sending out Ball might’ve been one of the first dominoes post-lottery changes. The Hornets no longer need to finish at the bottom of the league to potentially nab the No. 1 pick, and can instead sit in the bottom third of the league. From a talent perspective, they feel in the perfect range to maximize their draft odds.

The Hornets also own the Mavericks’ first with limited protections, and Dallas feels nearly in the same boat in the West.