Fansided

Winners and losers of the 2014 NBA Draft Lottery

By Trisity Miller

Mar 8, 2014; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert speaks during the jersey retirement ceremony of former player Zydrunas Ilgauskas (not pictured) at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 8, 2014; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert speaks during the jersey retirement ceremony of former player Zydrunas Ilgauskas (not pictured) at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports /
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LOSERS

Detroit Pistons

Going into tonight’s draft lottery, the Pistons were in play to get a top-8 draft pick, ultimately finding a cheap option that could help the Pistons now and in the next four or five years. Instead, the opposite is true. Falling to the 9th slot in the draft lottery, the Pistons 2014 NBA draft pick transfers to the new-look Charlotte Hornets.

Feb 21, 2014; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Boston Celtics guard Chris Johnson (12) shoots the ball between Los Angeles Lakers guard Wesley Johnson (L) and Lakers center Pau Gasol (R) during the second quarter at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 21, 2014; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Boston Celtics guard Chris Johnson (12) shoots the ball between Los Angeles Lakers guard Wesley Johnson (L) and Lakers center Pau Gasol (R) during the second quarter at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports /

This summer the Detroit Pistons have ample cap space depending on how they choose to handle Greg Monroe’s impending free agency. With a new regiment in place, there is hope that the front office finds ways to improve the team without vastly capping the future. But missing out on a draft pick in this front-loaded draft will be one that likely stings in the minds of Pistons fans for a while. There won’t be an Andrew Wiggins or Jabari Parker on the board, but looking at thaw the Pistons need to add to the roster in order to compete for a playoff spot in the dreaded Eastern Conference, this group could’ve used a Gary Harris, Aaron Gordon, James Young, or Nik Stauskus-like prospect.

Now they’ll have to rely solely on the second round and free agency to improve… all thanks to Joe Dumars having to add a first-round pick to a deal with Ben Gordon in order to make him a “valuable” asset. And the piece received in that trade? Corey Maggette.

Los Angeles Lakers / Boston Celtics

There’s a reason why the draft lottery was so anticipated. Two historical franchises were presented with actual chances to land a top-3 pick in the upcoming draft. That means for the next ten-plus years, we as fans would have to deal with Andrew Wiggins, Dante Exum, Jabari Parker, and Joel Embiid playing for the Celtics and Lakers and the fan arrogance that would surely come attached to it.

That dream died a swift death. Instead of landing a top-3 pick, the Los Angeles Lakers are equipped with the seventh overall pick and the Boston Celtics the sixth pick. Make no mistake here. These are still good picks. With the Parker/Wiggins/Embiid/Exum quartet likely off the board, the two franchises will still have a player pool of possibly Julius Randle, Marcus Smart, Noah Vonleh, and other big-name players.

But these franchises expected more doing into last night’s event. Their chances of acquiring Kevin Love by dangling the draft pick has decreased severely and now,

Lottery Parity

The draft lottery is a random process, submerged in conspiracy theories, hope, and optimism. Last season, teams approached the season with the intent to tank, losing game son purpose in order to have a chance at the number one pick. Milwaukee, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Boston, and Orlando embarrassed themselves throughout the season and countlessly ripped fans off for that chance and the likes of Utah and Sacramento faltered in a hectic Western Conference finals giving them the chance to obtain a franchise-altering talent.

Instead the Cleveland Cavaliers, once again, were the victors of the event. This isn’t the first time either, spurring random joy for a franchise that faltered in the fallout with Lebron James. But that isn’t the case here. Mismanagement is. Since James’ escapade to South Beach, the Cavaliers have appeared in the lottery in each of the four years following the Decision. And in each of those four years, the Cavaliers have landed a top-5 pick, three of those picks being number one overall picks (Kyrie Irving – 2011, Anthony Bennett – 2013, UNKNOWN – 2014).

It’s gotten to the point where the ideas of changing an equal system have become rampant. The worst teams don’t always win the lottery. That hasn’t happen since the Orlando Magic drafted Dwight Howard, but in a way, the lottery has seemingly awarded the Cavaliers franchise for incompetence. The Eastern Conference hasn’t shown to be a monster of the franchise like the West and yet the Cavaliers haven’t shown any true improvement over the last four years. Other factors have a hand in such, injuries being one, but you’d expect a team that’s had this many first round picks to gravitate toward annual playoff team rather than annual lottery team.

Minus one for the lottery system and it’s attempt to award parity.

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