"And with the First Pick, The Rockets select..."

[magee]

What a world this would be if the Suns won the Lottery and Houston invoked its Swap Rights with them.

[brackdan70]

There is a 3.8% chance….

[UcanUwill]

There is a 3.8% chance….

So you telling theres a chance...

[WestbrookGOATed]

Suns fans would die lol

[UcanUwill]

Flagg in Houston would be dope, not gonna lie.

[JXL]

There is a 3.8% chance….

As long as it's not 0, it's a chance. Go ask the Clippers how they felt they had to give up the #1 pick in 2011 and they can't draft Kyrie Irving.

[Roger Murdock]

There is a 3.8% chance….

As long as it's not 0, it's a chance. Go ask the Clippers how they felt they had to give up the #1 pick in 2011 and they can't draft Kyrie Irving.

It was a fair trade - they got Mo Williams

[cupcakesnake]

There is a 3.8% chance….

As long as it's not 0, it's a chance. Go ask the Clippers how they felt they had to give up the #1 pick in 2011 and they can't draft Kyrie Irving.

Or when Memphis lost the #2 pick to Detroit in the Lebron/Melo/Wade/Bosh draft, but Detroit made it all okay by taking Darko.

[JXL]

There is a 3.8% chance….

As long as it's not 0, it's a chance. Go ask the Clippers how they felt they had to give up the #1 pick in 2011 and they can't draft Kyrie Irving.

It was a fair trade - they got Mo Williams

For like 2 seasons....

[JXL]

There is a 3.8% chance….

As long as it's not 0, it's a chance. Go ask the Clippers how they felt they had to give up the #1 pick in 2011 and they can't draft Kyrie Irving.

Or when Memphis lost the #2 pick to Detroit in the Lebron/Melo/Wade/Bosh draft, but Detroit made it all okay by taking Darko.

Detroit was on something back then to not draft Melo/Wade/Bosh.

Good luck, New Orleans

[BigGargamel]

As long as it's not 0, it's a chance. Go ask the Clippers how they felt they had to give up the #1 pick in 2011 and they can't draft Kyrie Irving.

Or when Memphis lost the #2 pick to Detroit in the Lebron/Melo/Wade/Bosh draft, but Detroit made it all okay by taking Darko.

Detroit was on something back then to not draft Melo/Wade/Bosh.

Good luck, New Orleans

Man, Joe Dumas unknowingly saved basketball in Denver. If he had taken Melo, the Nuggets were 100% going to try to go with a Nikoloz Tskitishvili/Darko Milicic front court with back to back top 5 picks. That would have set them back a decade. Thank you, Joe.

[cupcakesnake]

Or when Memphis lost the #2 pick to Detroit in the Lebron/Melo/Wade/Bosh draft, but Detroit made it all okay by taking Darko.

Detroit was on something back then to not draft Melo/Wade/Bosh.

Good luck, New Orleans

Man, Joe Dumas unknowingly saved basketball in Denver. If he had taken Melo, the Nuggets were 100% going to try to go with a Nikoloz Tskitishvili/Darko Milicic front court with back to back top 5 picks. That would have set them back a decade. Thank you, Joe.

No one really questioned Darko at the time. He'd probably have gone first in any other draft of that era.

[BigGargamel]

Detroit was on something back then to not draft Melo/Wade/Bosh.

Good luck, New Orleans

Man, Joe Dumas unknowingly saved basketball in Denver. If he had taken Melo, the Nuggets were 100% going to try to go with a Nikoloz Tskitishvili/Darko Milicic front court with back to back top 5 picks. That would have set them back a decade. Thank you, Joe.

No one really questioned Darko at the time. He'd probably have gone first in any other draft of that era.

I can't really remember the consensus, but I was praying hard that they didn't take Melo. Bosh and Wade weren't really on my radar, but it was Melo or bust for me as a fan. But I was coming off the Skita "experience" so I was super nervous to add another mystical Euro unicorn with zero tape to the team.

[cupcakesnake]

Man, Joe Dumas unknowingly saved basketball in Denver. If he had taken Melo, the Nuggets were 100% going to try to go with a Nikoloz Tskitishvili/Darko Milicic front court with back to back top 5 picks. That would have set them back a decade. Thank you, Joe.

No one really questioned Darko at the time. He'd probably have gone first in any other draft of that era.

I can't really remember the consensus, but I was praying hard that they didn't take Melo. Bosh and Wade weren't really on my radar, but it was Melo or bust for me as a fan. But I was coming off the Skita "experience" so I was super nervous to add another mystical Euro unicorn with zero tape to the team.

Detroit stole the Darko opportunity for you, but you could have drafted Zarko (Cabarkapa). Maybe a slighty reach at 3 but would have paired so nicely with Skita!

Wade and Bosh were highly regarded prospect, but not on the same level as the top 3 that year. Lebron was obviously a long anticipated generational prospect, while Melo and Darko were mega hyped. Bosh and Wade were more seen as pretty exciting college prospects. Bosh was skinny, and Wade was considered a more boring safe bet in a draft where he was 2-4 years older than the top picks. I also remember Marcus Banks and TJ Ford having a lot of hype that year.

[The Master]

LA Lakers (47-35, Kareem) drafted Magic Johnson in 1979 (Jazz pick).
Celtics (61-21, Bird) traded a 1st draft pick for McHale and Parish (Golden State Warriors pick).
Celtics (67-15, Bird) drafted Len Bias with a 2nd draft pick.
Magic (41-41, Shaq) won a lottery (1.5% chances) and traded that pick for Penny Hardaway (3rd pick).
Cavs a year after LeBron left won a lottery with Clippers pick with 3 (?) % of chances (Kyrie).
Boston drafted Tatum and Brown due to Nets trade soon after they went into rebuilding mode.

We had several awful trades/lucky events that indeed affected (or could've affected) NBA history in terms of draft picks distribution - and I don't know if it happens this year - but considering how many draft picks were traded, it is very likely that it will happen sooner or later again. The whole 80s decade and Celtics-Lakers rivalry was created on lopsided trades that allowed Lakers and Celtics to get top prospects while being contenders already.

Wade and Bosh were highly regarded prospect, but not on the same level as the top 3 that year. Lebron was obviously a long anticipated generational prospect, while Melo and Darko were mega hyped. Bosh and Wade were more seen as pretty exciting college prospects. Bosh was skinny, and Wade was considered a more boring safe bet in a draft where he was 2-4 years older than the top picks. I also remember Marcus Banks and TJ Ford having a lot of hype that year.

Yeah, Darko thing was clearly a consequence of 18yo eligible to get drafted and weaker scouting of European players at that time. With current draft rules, Detroit would've ended up with Bosh or Wade, as Melo would go first for sure. That's also funny.

[Handlez]

I absolutely do not want Flagg in Houston.

They already destroyed Sheppard's rookie season for a first round loss.

Sheppard should've started all year and developed at PG and Houston still would've made the playoffs.

If I'm Flagg, I start telling certain teams not to draft me.

[og15]

There is a 3.8% chance….

That's pretty decent, I mean any of the lottery odds are technically not THAT low of odds.

[gmoney411]

I absolutely do not want Flagg in Houston.

They already destroyed Sheppard's rookie season for a first round loss.

Sheppard should've started all year and developed at PG and Houston still would've made the playoffs.

If I'm Flagg, I start telling certain teams not to draft me.

Reed is fine. There is no reason a 19 year old undersized guard has to play heavy minutes in his first season. If he isn't in the regular rotation next year then it is time for concern.

[Pattycakes]

Op I counter you with “and with the first pick the Portland Trailblazers select…”

[deadfeather]

Op I counter you with “and with the first pick the Portland Trailblazers select…”

Ugh, I'm having PTSD already from Lillard's Blazers making the playoffs every year and doing nothing with the spot. That would be the worst case scenario for everyone.