Who Won & Lost NBA Draft Lottery: Knicks Misses Out, Pistons Falls Short – Spurs and Victor Wembanyama Succeed

The San Antonio Spurs have been selected with the first overall choice in the 2023 NBA Draft, which will take place on June 22.

This decision comes after months of speculation and several teams attempting to strategically position themselves for a chance to sign Victor Wembanyama.

There were loud gasps in the room as a few other teams moved up in the draft order after a few ping pong balls fell in favor of a few teams.

Although there is a lot of talent in this draft class, especially at the top, some teams were less than happy with their selections on Tuesday night while others were jubilant.

Winners

San Antonio Spurs

The Spurs have had great success with the players they’ve selected with the #1 choice in the past, and this is the third time in the history of the team that they have done so.

David Robinson was selected first in 1987, while Tim Duncan was selected ten years later. All five of the franchise’s NBA championships have been won with either Duncan Robinson, who both contributed success and longevity to the team.

With Robinson, Gregg Popovich began his head-coaching career, and with Wembanyama, he is likely to complete his Hall of Fame career.

They knew they would be picking the best prospect since LeBron James. While watching with family and friends from France, where he is presently ending his season with the Metropolitans 92 in the Betclic Élite League, Wembanyama was clearly delighted to be traveling to San Antonio.

The 7-foot-4 center will be joining a youthful core group that includes Tre Jones, Jeremy Sochan, Keldon Johnson, and Devin Vassell, all of whom are under the age of 23.

Wembanyama has lived up to the hype that surrounded him before starting his NBA career, as he presently leads all players in points (21.6), rebounds (10.5), and blocks (3.1).

Portland Trail Blazers

After having the fifth-worst record in the NBA last season, the Trail Blazers climbed up two spots and are now in an intriguing position at No. 3. If they decide to maintain the pick, they would be in a position to select Brandon Miller or Scoot Henderson, whichever player the Charlotte Hornets decide not to select.

Many teams may attempt to move up for either prospect, and Portland has the option to either trade for a bigger star player to partner with Damian Lillard or maintain the selection and acquire one of the top prospects in Miller or Henderson.

For the Trail Blazers, finishing in the top three opens up a lot of promising possibilities. With Miller or Henderson joining Lillard, Anfernee Simons, and Shaedon Sharpe, the lottery pick from the previous year, they can’t go wrong.

Dallas Mavericks

At the conclusion of the season, the Mavericks were fined $750,000 for breaking the player resting policy during an elimination game. The plan was to secure their pick by remaining in the top 10 of the NBA Draft rather than trading it to the New York Knicks as part of the Kristaps Porziis trade.

There are numerous guards late in the lottery that will be available if the Mavericks decide to keep their pick and want to add some playmaking and defensive versatility to the squad, including Gradey Dick, Anthony Black, Jordan Hawkins, Nick Smith Jr., Keyonte George, Cason Wallace, and Jalen Hood-Schifino.

But trading the pick in favor of seasoned support may also be an option given the need to improve right away surrounding Luka Doni and Kyrie Irving’s status as a free agency.

Losers

Detroit Pistons

It’s difficult not to fathom the value that Wembanyama may have brought to this young, talented Pistons team. Having that not just taken away but also being so far from the consolation prize inside the top three is a tremendous blow for the Pistons.

Detroit has the No. 5 choice and it will be intriguing to see if it selects a forward like Jarace Walker or Taylor Hendricks or a perimeter player like Ausar Thompson or Cam Whitmore after ending with the second-worst record last season.

The first overall choice in the 2021 NBA Draft, Cade Cunningham, will make a comeback after missing much of the 2022–23 season due to a left shin injury and undergoing surgery.

There are many alternatives with the fifth pick that will determine picks in the back half of the lottery, and the Pistons are unlikely to get a player that will change the franchise for the upcoming season.

Houston Rockets

The Rockets went into the draft lottery with the same aspirations as the Pistons—to finish in the top three. Following three seasons of declining records, Houston is in a mess and attempting to rebuild. With Jalen Green, Jabari Smith Jr., and Kevin Porter Jr., the Rockets have a lot of youth, but no great star to revitalize the team.

The Overtime Elite guards Amen Thompson or Ausar Thompson are available to the Rockets at No. 4, giving them the chance to try and make some moves in the offseason. However, this is a totally different situation from what they had anticipated going into the week.

New York Knicks

The Knicks lose because the Mavericks hold their top-10 protected choice. When New York sold the 11th pick, Kemba Walker, and four second-round picks in the 2022 NBA Draft for three additional future first-round picks, they did it strategically.

After acquiring Irving in addition to Luka Doni and a reliable rotation, no one anticipated the Mavericks tanking after receiving the potential pick from the Porziis trade.

A blow to the Knicks’ fan base and franchise is missing out on a lottery pick in a loaded draft class (after forgoing a lottery pick last year). The Knicks were looking to add the missing player to get New York over the hump after failing to advance past the Eastern Conference second round.

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