All Hawks

Four Reasons Hawks Fans Must Watch NBA Draft Lottery

Tonight's lottery has implications for the Hawks.
Pat Benson|
Patrick Gorski-USA TODAY Sports

In this story:

Atlanta HawksCharlotte Hornets

For the second straight year, the Atlanta Hawks are not in the NBA Draft Lottery. That's great news because it means the team is competitive and moving in the right direction. When the Hawks defeated the Charlotte Hornets and Cleveland Cavaliers in the Play-In Tournament, it sealed them out of the lottery.

While it's official that the Hawks have the 16th and 44th overall picks, fans still have a vested interest in how the ping pong balls bounce tonight. Let's look at what the Hawks have to gain and lose tonight.

Southeast Division Implications

As a whole, the Southeast Division improved this season. But still, three of the five teams are in the lottery. The Orlando Magic are tied for the highest odds of the number one draft pick (14%). Meanwhile, the Washington Wizards have a 13.9% chance of landing in the top four. Plus, the Charlotte Hornets have a 4.8% chance of landing in the top four.

The Magic already have a promising young roster, and a top selection in this year's draft will only solidify their core. The Wizards could have easily been a playoff team if not for Bradley Beal suffering a season-ending wrist injury. Of course, we know LaMelo Ball and the Hornets have made the Play-In Tournament for two consecutive years. The Southeast Division will only get tougher after this year's draft.

Rivals

"You ain't handsome, you damn sure ain't cute," is what Kendrick Perkins recently told Draymond Green. Between that rivalry and the ESPN segment where Patrick Beverly took shots at Chris Paul, my hateration is turned all the way up. 

Half of the lottery teams are in the Eastern Conference, and one of them is named the New York Knicks. The Knicks went off for a smooth 37 victories this season which gave them a 9.4% chance of a top-four pick and a 2% chance of the number one overall pick (coincidentally the same as Immanuel Quickley's shooting splits).

Potential Trade Partners

I know it's hard to believe, but the Oklahoma City Thunder have two draft picks in this year's lottery. But like Mac from It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Thunder general manager Sam Presti eventually has to stop harvesting and begin cultivating. Under Presti's watch/science experiment, the Thunder have built a war chest of assets. A potential trade with the Hawks could go in any number of directions, so keep an eye on how things shake out with the Thunder tonight.

Excitement

At the end of the day, we're all hoops fans. This spectacle is the NBA's version of the Kentucky Derby or the Timberwolves' time in the postseason - it's the most exciting two minutes in sports. Naturally, ESPN will squeeze in a few commercial breaks, but that's a good thing. It gives us fans a chance to catch our breath and check Twitter. 

The NBA Draft Lottery will be aired live on ESPN at 7:00 p.m. eastern. As always, we will be live-tweeting it. Stay locked into AllHawks.com for breaking news, highlights, and analysis.

Recommended For You

Nate McMillan Trade Can Save Hawks AND Lakers

Untold Stories Behind 90s NBA Uniforms

Snakes, Waffles, Secret Doors: Kobe Bryant's Final Game in Atlanta

Published
Pat Benson
PAT BENSON

Pat Benson covers the Atlanta Hawks for Sports Illustrated's All Hawks. He has covered the NBA for several years and is the author of "Kobe Bryant's Sneaker History (1996-2020)".

Share on XFollow pat_benson_jr
Home/News