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How NBA Draft Lottery Impacted Hawks

Main takeaways from last night's lottery.
Pat Benson|
David Banks-USA TODAY Sports

In this story:

Atlanta HawksCharlotte HornetsOrlando MagicWashington Wizards

What We Learned From Lottery

Orlando Magic Win

Obviously, the big winners from last night are the Orlando Magic. The last time they got the first draft pick was in 2004, which they used on Dwight Howard. Also, they got the first draft pick in 1992, which they used on Shaquille O'Neal.

It's clear the Magic know what they are doing. In the spring of 2021, they jumpstarted the rebuilding process through a series of trades. Now, they have a solid young core which consists of Cole Anthony, Jalen Suggs, and Markelle Fultz, to name a few. The Southeast Division just got a lot better for years to come.

Western Conference Teams Runner-Up

While the Magic getting the top pick was not ideal for the Hawks, the silver lining is the second, third, and fourth picks all went to Western Conference teams (Thunder, Rockets, Kings). That means the Hawks will only have to face those top draft picks twice a season for the next several years. 

Rivals Slide

Heartbreak is always part of the lottery. See the image above of a crestfallen Damian Lillard. The Trail Blazers point guard will not get much help from whoever the 7th draft pick is this year.

While we hate for 'Dame,' it was good to see the Wizards and Knicks land at the 10th and 11th spots, respectively. Perhaps, the Knicks are still paying their penance for the alleged frozen envelope that resulted in Patrick Ewing playing in the Big Apple for most of his Hall of Fame career.

Hornets, Cavaliers Stand Pat

Since we are clearly hating this morning, let us celebrate both of the Hawks' Play-In Tournament opponents standing pat. As expected, the Hornets and Cavaliers landed at the 13th and 14th spots, respectively. Good, because neither of those two talented young teams needs another stud. Had Trae Young not put the team on his back in the Play-In Tournament, the Hawks would have had one of those draft picks. Instead, they will have the 16th and 44th overall picks. After today, we begin our Hawks draft coverage in earnest.

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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)".

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