Is the Lottery Rigged?

[Lala870]

If the league is all about getting stars to LA then why did they veto the CP3 trade?

Kobe was done winning titles at that point. I agree with Woj on melos podcast that even with CP3 they were not winning anything.

Plus the NBA had the big 3, OKC, etc and Golden State was on the verge of becoming the NBA's favorite toy.

As I said the conspiracy theory is unfalsefiable. No matter what happens the theory can never be dented.

Lol bro we get it... you think the NBA is a corruption free league. You do you

[NZB2323]

What's past is the past, but for me the Luka trade was a confirmation that the league has power to force things when deemed neccessary. They wanted Luka to the Lakers and he was delivered to them on a golden platter. Don't buy the bs reasoning by the Mavs (Luka's conditioning, not wanting to pay Luka etc), you just traded a 25 yo top3 player in the world, a player who took you single-handedly to the NBA Finals, for a 32 yo always injured Anthony Davis, who has a 3/190M albatross contract. AD's conditioning will always be worse than Luka's, and his contract is huge also. There is no way you do this trade if you are not forced to do it. Bottom line: The NBA is big business, and an entertainment business. They will do what's needed to keep people entertained.

If the league is all about getting stars to LA then why did they veto the CP3 trade?

Kobe was done winning titles at that point. I agree with Woj on melos podcast that even with CP3 they were not winning anything.

Plus the NBA had the big 3, OKC, etc and Golden State was on the verge of becoming the NBA's favorite toy.

The league doesn’t need the Lakers to win titles, just to be a contender to be relevant. In 2012 they won a playoff series and lost to the Thunder the next round who made it to the Finals. Then Dwight Howard joined the team. I don’t even know if the Lakers needed Kobe if they had CP3 and Dwight. Imagine trying to stop that pick and roll.

[HotelVitale]

If the league is all about getting stars to LA then why did they veto the CP3 trade?

Kobe was done winning titles at that point. I agree with Woj on melos podcast that even with CP3 they were not winning anything.

Plus the NBA had the big 3, OKC, etc and Golden State was on the verge of becoming the NBA's favorite toy.

The league doesn’t need the Lakers to win titles, just to be a contender to be relevant. In 2012 they won a playoff series and lost to the Thunder the next round who made it to the Finals. Then Dwight Howard joined the team. I don’t even know if the Lakers needed Kobe if they had CP3 and Dwight. Imagine trying to stop that pick and roll.

You're not in a real conversation here. Everything that seems to maybe benefit a good team is overwhelming evidence of conspiracy, and everything that doesn't just requires a wild 6-part account of why it secretly helps some player or team the NBA is trying to market.

[Lala870]

If the league is all about getting stars to LA then why did they veto the CP3 trade?

Kobe was done winning titles at that point. I agree with Woj on melos podcast that even with CP3 they were not winning anything.

Plus the NBA had the big 3, OKC, etc and Golden State was on the verge of becoming the NBA's favorite toy.

The league doesn’t need the Lakers to win titles, just to be a contender to be relevant. In 2012 they won a playoff series and lost to the Thunder the next round who made it to the Finals. Then Dwight Howard joined the team. I don’t even know if the Lakers needed Kobe if they had CP3 and Dwight. Imagine trying to stop that pick and roll.

I agree that they just need to be relavent, hence the Luka trade.

I dont think CP3 alone was doing anything on that team to be a contender. Dwight was not "dominating" they way he was in Orlando and I remember Laker fans were complaining non-stop around that time despite Dwight occasionally putting up decent stat lines.

Dwight himself said because of the back surgery he wasnt really the impact player he was in Orlando. Pau and CP3 would have been interesting but I also dont think that was enough either.

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/QDVocsPj8I4

[Lala870]

Kobe was done winning titles at that point. I agree with Woj on melos podcast that even with CP3 they were not winning anything.

Plus the NBA had the big 3, OKC, etc and Golden State was on the verge of becoming the NBA's favorite toy.

The league doesn’t need the Lakers to win titles, just to be a contender to be relevant. In 2012 they won a playoff series and lost to the Thunder the next round who made it to the Finals. Then Dwight Howard joined the team. I don’t even know if the Lakers needed Kobe if they had CP3 and Dwight. Imagine trying to stop that pick and roll.

You're not in a real conversation here. Everything that seems to maybe benefit a good team is overwhelming evidence of conspiracy, and everything that doesn't just requires a wild 6-part account of why it secretly helps some player or team the NBA is trying to market.

Well that settles it then.

[TimberKat]

This one is still going? At least make up with some funny conspiracy instead of the boring stupid stuff.

[Lala870]

This one is still going? At least make up with some funny conspiracy instead of the boring stupid stuff.

Yes thanks to you consistently bumping it out of your insecurity over conspiracy theories.

[TimberKat]

This one is still going? At least make up with some funny conspiracy instead of the boring stupid stuff.

Yes thanks to you consistently bumping it out of your insecurity over conspiracy theories.

"Insecurity over conspiracy theories" - now that is a funny one. Almost as good as aliens give us microwave technology. If anyone meet up with aliens, please ask them how to stop Luka 1on1 or ask for the schematic to the Infinite Improbability Drive. Not a stupid Microwave oven.

[Lala870]

This one is still going? At least make up with some funny conspiracy instead of the boring stupid stuff.

Yes thanks to you consistently bumping it out of your insecurity over conspiracy theories.

"Insecurity over conspiracy theories" - now that is a funny one. Almost as good as aliens give us microwave technology. If anyone meet up with aliens, please ask them how to stop Luka 1on1 or ask for the schematic to the Infinite Improbability Drive. Not a stupid Microwave oven.

Rent free

[og15]

Here's an example of scenarios that could happen if you just randomize. This was from a Raptors fan trying to dream of the Raptors moving up.

Spin #1:
Pick 1: New Orleans Pelicans
Pick 2: Houston Rockets (via Phoenix)
Pick 3: Washington Wizards
Pick 4: Utah Jazz
...

Pick 8: Toronto Raptors

Spin #2:
Pick 1: New Orleans Pelicans
Pick 2: San Antonio Spurs
Pick 3: Utah Jazz
Pick 4: Philadelphia 76ers
...

Pick 8: Toronto Raptors

Spin #3:
Pick 1: Charlotte Hornets
Pick 2: Washington Wizards
Pick 3: Portland Trail Blazers
Pick 4: Brooklyn Nets
...

Pick 8: Toronto Raptors

Spin #4:
Pick 1: Dallas Mavericks
Pick 2: Brooklyn Nets
Pick 3: Washington Wizards
Pick 4: San Antonio Spurs
...

Pick 9: Toronto Raptors

Spin #5:
Pick 1: Dallas Mavericks
Pick 2: Charlotte Hornets
Pick 3: Washington Wizards
Pick 4: Utah Jazz
...

Pick 8: Toronto Raptors

Spin #6:
Pick 1: Utah Jazz
Pick 2: New Orleans Pelicans
Pick 3: Philadelphia 76ers
Pick 4: Charlotte Hornets
...

Pick 7: Toronto Raptors

Spin #7:
Pick 1: San Antonio Spurs
Pick 2: Toronto Raptors (FINALLY)
Pick 3: Portland Trail Blazers
Pick 4: Utah Jazz

Spin #8:
Pick 1: Charlotte Hornets
Pick 2: Washington Wizards
Pick 3: Utah Jazz
Pick 4: Portland Trail Blazers
...

Pick 8: Toronto Raptors

Spin #9:
Pick 1: Utah Jazz
Pick 2: Toronto Raptors
Pick 3: Portland Trail Blazers
Pick 4: New Orleans Pelicans

Spin #10:
Pick 1: Brooklyn Nets
Pick 2: Philadelphia 76ers
Pick 3: Washington Wizards
Pick 4: San Antonio Spurs
...

Pick 8: Toronto Raptors

https://www.raptorshq.com/2025/4/21/24413171/draft-lottery-toronto-raptors-cooper-flagg-nba

[seren]

Not sure about decades ago but it has been pretty robust for a while. Nobody is foolish enough to mess this thing up. The matter of the fact is good front offices do their due diligence and draft the right guys while bad front offices turn their valuable picks to trash. Finally, drafting a 19 year old is always a gamble. You might have done your due diligence, covered all your bases and draft a generational talent only to see that talent destroy themselves.

[queridiculo]

Oh god, not this again

[Hornet Mania]

Yes. Unless the Charlotte Hornets win, then it's not.

[MasterIchiro]

By the Illuminati. Definitely. The Deep State. Haitian immigrants. To name a few. Bill Gates.

[Upperclass]

LMAO

[scrabbarista]

Voted #2. I think it's selective, same as some games are rigged and some aren't. However, I am 100% certain some games are rigged, and I'm far less sure about the lottery, for the simple reason that the lottery has a sample size of like 1, 2, 3, or 4 picks per year. With games, the sample size is ten actions per play, 200 plays per game, and over 1,000 games per year: it's much easier to observe.

Add a few to the sample size.

[The Laker Kid]

Please vote
I say no (except maybe the 1st one, with Ewing to NY). Why?
1. The 30 owners would NEVER agree to this
2. It's hard to keep a secret
3. The accounting firm would never go along

1. Who says the rest of the teams have to be aware?
2. For some people, maybe. But some people are built for this.
3. The accounting side is the easiest to manipulate.

[stepic]

This poll is helping restore my faith in this forum compared to the 85% poll from last night. Jesus