“Deserve’s got nothing to do with it.”
Clint Eastwood’s classic line from “Unforgiven” resonates with the many hoops fans angered by what they saw as a karmically unjust 2025 NBA Draft Lottery (that’s without even getting to the conspiracy theorists). It wasn’t just fans, players were caught off guard as well.
— LeBron James (@KingJames) May 12, 2025
I mean come on man
— Kevin Love (@kevinlove) May 12, 2025
Dallas made arguably the worst trade in NBA history, sending out Luka Doncic for pennies on the dollar, fell into the lottery because of it, and were rewarded with the No. 1 pick. The Spurs have the last two Rookies of the Year and were handed the No. 2 pick. Philadelphia had a disaster of a season, decided to tank to try and keep their pick, and was rewarded with No. 3.
Whatever you feel about the outcomes, there are winners and losers from the 2025 NBA Draft Lottery. Let’s break it down.
Winner: Nico Harrison
“When we win, I believe the frustration will go away.”
Mavericks GM Nico Harrison uttered those words after the Doncic trade, when he was forced to meet with the media and explain the deal. Landing Cooper Flagg and plugging him into the lineup will bring wins, could bring a bright future, and that should help the mood of Mavericks fans.
The moment we won #MFFLpic.twitter.com/KfsitX1tFE
— Dallas Mavericks (@dallasmavs) May 13, 2025
It felt too obvious just to say “Winner: Dallas Mavericks,” although they are — Flagg provides a boost to Anthony Davis/Kyrie Irving era and a bridge to whatever is next — but in the short term Harrison is the big winner.
Winner: Philadelphia 76ers
As losses mounted and injuries piled up (plus throw in disappointing seasons from some players), Philadelphia pivoted their season and decided to tank and try to hold on to its first-round pick. The 76ers needed to stay in the top six to keep their pick (or the rich got richer and it went to the Thunder).
Not only did they keep it, but Philly also jumped up to the No. 3 pick, meaning they can add VJ Edgecomb or Ace Bailey to a young core of Tyrese Maxey and Jared McCain, a bridge to the future no matter what happens with Joel Embiid and Paul George’s health.
Losers: Utah Jazz, Washington Wizards
The team that has had the worst record in the NBA for each of the last three seasons has fallen as far as it possibly could, to fifth. For the previous two seasons it was Detroit.
This season, it was Utah. Washington had the second-worst NBA record, and they fell to sixth.
Two teams that needed a little luck to jumpstart their rebuilds were as unlucky as they could be and now need to try and find a diamond in the rough. And be patient, which is not so easy to do.
Winner: San Antonio Spurs (and their trade prospects)
Two years ago, San Antonio won THE lottery and drafted Victor Wembanyama. Last season, the Spurs drafted fourth and took Stephon Castle out of UConn, who went on to win Rookie of the Year.
This year, the Spurs had a 26.2% chance of landing a top-four pick, and lottery luck smiled on them once again, landing the No. 2 pick. They also have the No. 14 pick in this draft.
San Antonio could use that second pick to draft Dylan Harper, the Rutgers guard who has become a clear No. 2 on draft boards, and play him in a rotation with Castle and De’Aaron Fox. That would be a dynamic backcourt.
Or, this pick could be part of a trade to bring in a win-now star and accelerate Wembanyama’s timeline. If San Antonio went to Milwaukee and offered the No. 2 pick, Castle, a couple more future picks and some players to make the salaries work (Harrison Barnes and Keldon Johnson), that might be hard for the Bucks to pass up. There are other ways to make that trade, and other teams the Spurs want to talk to.
However, this No. 2 pick gives the Spurs a major trade chip.
Loser: The West (and conference balance)
As if the West wasn’t deep enough — five teams had 50+ wins, and in the playoffs we watched the No. 6 and 7 seeds knock off the No. 2 and 3 seeds — now Dallas brings another franchise cornerstone talent into the conference.
With Flagg, Anthony Davis, Kyrie Irving (once he gets healthy, a torn ACL will sideline him most, if not all of next season), and Klay Thompson, the Mavericks are positioned to make some noise in the West in the coming years, and they have a bridge to the future with Flagg.
If the NBA is ever going to balance out the talent in the conferences, the East needs to win the lottery someday when there is a generational prospect on the board.
Published May 13, 2025 12:57 AM
“Deserve’s got nothing to do with it.”
Clint Eastwood’s classic line from “Unforgiven” resonates with the many hoops fans angered by what they saw as a karmically unjust 2025 NBA Draft Lottery (that’s without even getting to the conspiracy theorists). It wasn’t just fans, players were caught off guard as well.
Dallas made arguably the worst trade in NBA history, sending out Luka Doncic for pennies on the dollar, fell into the lottery because of it, and were rewarded with the No. 1 pick. The Spurs have the last two Rookies of the Year and were handed the No. 2 pick. Philadelphia had a disaster of a season, decided to tank to try and keep their pick, and was rewarded with No. 3.
Whatever you feel about the outcomes, there are winners and losers from the 2025 NBA Draft Lottery. Let’s break it down.
Winner: Nico Harrison
“When we win, I believe the frustration will go away.”
Mavericks GM Nico Harrison uttered those words after the Doncic trade, when he was forced to meet with the media and explain the deal. Landing Cooper Flagg and plugging him into the lineup will bring wins and will help the mood of Mavericks fans.
It felt too obvious just to say “Winner: Dallas Mavericks,” although they are — Flagg provides a boost to Anthony Davis/Kyrie Irving era and a bridge to whatever is next — but in the short term Harrison is the big winner.
Winner: Philadelphia 76ers
As injuries — and disappointing seasons from some players — piled up, Philadelphia pivoted its season and decided to tank and try to hold on to its first-round pick. The 76ers needed to stay in the top six to keep their pick (or the rich got richer and it went to the Thunder).
Not only did they keep it, but Philly also jumped up to the No. 3 pick, meaning they can add VJ Edgecomb or Ace Bailey to a young core of Tyrese Maxey and Jared McCain, a bridge to the future no matter what happens with Joel Embiid and Paul George’s health.
Losers: Utah Jazz, Washington Wizards
The team that has had the worst record in the NBA for each of the last three seasons has fallen as far as it possibly could, to fifth. For the previous two seasons it was Detroit.
This season, it was Utah. Washington had the second-worst NBA record, they fell to sixth.
Two teams that needed a little luck to jumpstart their rebuilds were as unlucky as they could be and now need to try and find a diamond in the rough.
Winner: San Antonio Spurs (and their trade prospects)
Two years ago, San Antonio won THE lottery and drafted Victor Wembanyama. Last season, the Spurs drafted fourth and took Stephon Castle out of UConn, who went on to win Rookie of the Year.
This year, the Spurs had a 26.2% chance of landing a top-four pick, and lottery luck smiled on them once again, landing the No. 2 pick. They also have the No. 14 pick in this draft.
San Antonio could use that second pick to draft Dylan Harper, the Rutgers guard who has become a clear No. 2 on draft boards, and play him in a rotation with Castle and De’Aaron Fox. That would be a dynamic backcourt.
Or, this pick could be part of a trade to bring in a win-now star and accelerate Wembanyama’s timeline. If San Antonio went to Milwaukee and offered the No. 2 pick, Castle, a couple more future picks and some players to make the salaries work (Harrison Barnes and Keldon Johnson), that might be hard for the Bucks to pass up. There are other ways to make that trade, and other teams the Spurs want to talk to.
However, this No. 2 pick gives the Spurs a major trade chip.
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