Predicting the 2017 NBA Draft Lottery

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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May 17, 2016; New York, NY, USA; Boston Celtics guard Isaiah Thomas represents his team during the NBA draft lottery at New York Hilton Midtown. The Philadelphia 76ers received the first overall pick in the 2016 draft. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports /

4. New York Knicks

Everyone, celebrate! The New York Knicks actually get their draft pick again next season! Kristaps Porzingis may be the savior of professional basketball in New York and Carmelo Anthony may still be on the roster, but I don’t think there are near enough pieces around them right now to see them being anywhere but the NBA Draft Lottery. That could change, but I’m not sure how much.

3. Sacramento Kings Philadelphia 76ers

As stated, the 76ers have the rights to swap picks with the Kings next season. With that in mind, I think the Kings are going to have a pretty disastrous season and could do something quite stupid like trade DeMarcus Cousins at some point in the year. By whatever means, they’ll be back in the NBA Draft Lottery again.

2. Phoenix Suns

Devin Booker was one of the bright spots of the rookie class in the 2015-16 NBA season and there are talented player on the Phoenix Suns without a doubt. However, there are also definitely more questions than there are answers and I think that the questions persist throughout much of the year and the Suns wind up having a rough go of it.

1. Brooklyn Nets Boston Celtics

The Boston Celtics themselves shouldn’t be anywhere near the lottery next season if everything goes as planned. However, the Brooklyn Nets are almost surely going to be absolutely awful next season and the Celts have the right to swap picks with the Nets. In the end, it’s hard to imagine anyone that isn’t the Nets/Celtics being the worst team in the NBA next year.

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