NBA Draft Lottery 2016: Winners and Losers

May 17, 2016; New York, NY, USA; Philadelphia 76ers head coach Brett Brown (right) poses with NBA deputy commissioner Mark Tatum after the 76ers receive the first pick in the 2016 NBA draft during the NBA draft lottery at New York Hilton Midtown. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports /

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Apr 9, 2016; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Pelicans forward Anthony Davis during the fourth quarter of a game against the Phoenix Suns at the Smoothie King Center. The Suns defeated the Pelicans 121-100. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports /

Loser: New Orleans Pelicans

Anthony Davis is a once-in-a-lifetime that is stuck in a situation where help might not ever come his way. Think Kevin Garnett in Minnesota during his prime. When the Pelicans landed Davis in the draft, they absolutely botched the process of building a team around him.

Rather than continuing to suffer and build through high draft pick, the team went all in on middling talent that got them nothing but swept one year and exposed the next year. Now, the Hornets will only have No. 6 pick in a weak draft and while they might still end up with a good pick, the chances of it being a superstar to pair with him are slim.

Davis is still very young, but if the Pelicans don’t things going soon, he’s going to be wasting the best years of his career in an organization that isn’t winning and isn’t the market to attract top free agents.

Really the clock is more on the Pelicans in this situation. Davis might have re-signed to a huge contract, but the longer it takes to get talent around him, the quicker things soon come to an end.

No matter what they do, they have to get some semblance of a future player with their pick.

Next: Winner: Toronto Raptors

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