7 recent NBA lottery picks who are already out of the league

1. Denzel Valentine, Chicago Bulls (No. 14, 2016 NBA Draft)

Denzel Valentine played at Michigan State for four seasons, where he found a lot of success with the Spartans, both individually and as a part of a consistent NCAA championship contender. As a senior, he averaged 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 7.8 assists per game, while shooting 46.2% from the field and an incredible 44.4% from beyond the arc (at 7.5 attempts per game). At 6-foot-5, 220 pounds, he had excellent size for a guard,

The Chicago Bulls made him the 14th overall pick, and despite a quiet rookie season, he took a step forward in 2017-18, starting 37 games and averaging 27.2 minutes per night, while scoring 10.2 points on 38.6% three-point shooting.

Unfortunately, Valentine missed all of 2018-19 with an ankle injury, which really hampered his development. His role decreased in 2019-20 and he was unable to grow it in 2020-21.

The Bulls decided not to bring him back, and Valentine signed with Cleveland, where he averaged 9.3 minutes per game across 22 games before being involved in the trade that got the Cavs Rajon Rondo. The Lakers immediately waived Valentine, and he then signed a 10-day contract with the Utah Jazz, appearing in two games.

That was the last time that Valentine played on an NBA court, as since then he's spent time with the Boston Celtics' G League affiliate, and most recently signed in Australia for the upcoming season.