Several of the NBA’s worst teams have been battling it out on a nightly basis recently. Instead of grappling for wins, they’re instead looking to earn the top available odds at the NBA Draft with losses.
The 16-win Jazz, the 17-win Wizards, the 19-win Hornets, followed by the Pelicans, 76ers and Nets. The 64-win Thunder, too, are keeping an eye on the bottom of the standings, holding Philadelphia’s 2025 first, which it top-six protected.
The Thunder have been nothing short of dominant this year, breaking regular season records again and again with a soon-to-be MVP-winner in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
The thought of the best team in the NBA landing the No. 7 pick is likely sickening to all 29 other teams, especially Philadelphia. The team stands at 23-53 on the year, and in recent weeks has done its best to land the best available odds at keeping its selection.
As it stands now, the Sixers have a 64% chance at keeping their pick, with a 36% chance it conveys to the Thunder at seven, eight or even nine.
Oklahoma City will certainly take those odds, seeing as the don’t necessarily need a 2025 draftee to cement their core. They’ve already built largely through the draft, taking Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams in 2022, Cason Wallace in 2023, and plenty more.
Even scarier, the No. 7 pick in 2025 could yield a variety of talented prospects such as the Duke duo of Kon Knueppel and Khaman Maluach, talented big prospects like Collin Murray-Boyles, Thomas Sorber, or even more guards like Jeremiah Fears, Kasparas Jakucionis and others.
Of course, the Sixers could use any number of those prospects, too, hoping to get back on track in the 2025-26 season.
