While the few remaining teams battle it out in the NBA Playoffs, others lie in wait for the impending 2025 NBA Draft.
On Monday, the 14 teams will learn where they’ll select at the 2025 NBA Draft, obviously hoping to land the highest possible picks in search of prospects like Cooper Flagg, Dylan Harper, Ace Bailey and plenty more.
While all teams are holding out hope for a jump to No. 1, some need it much more than others. Here are three teams who most need good luck on lottery night:
Washington is now a few years into its rebuild, having nabbed talented up-and-coming prospects like Bilal Coulibaly, Alex Sarr, Bub Carrington and plenty more. But it’s yet to have the opportunity to draft a true, tier 1 prospect.
Last year, Washington lucked out in grabbing the No. 2 pick — additionally getting to take Sarr after Atlanta opted for Zaccharie Risacher — but both players were far from elite options.
This year, the Wizards hope to land Flagg, a two-way force who would immediately raise the floor and ceiling of the Wizards. Though Dylan Harper, a 6-foot-6 guard built for rim pressure, would be a strong consolation prize.
The Brooklyn Nets are still the league’s freshest rebuilding team, yet to even select a prospect in the NBA Draft in their new era.
They didn’t make a pick at the 2024 NBA Draft, but own a whopping four firsts in 2025, and are sure to do their due diligence in building for the future.
While the remaining three selections are certainly important, where they land at the top is of the utmost. They currently have the sixth-best odds, and desperately need a jump into the top-three. Nabbing Flagg, Harper or others would imbue Brooklyn’s rebuild.
The Raptors are in a drastically different situation than both Washington and Brooklyn, already owning stars like Scottie Barnes and Brandon Ingram, strong pieces like Immanuel Quickly and RJ Barrett, as well as a host of up-and-coming prospects.
Having traded for Ingram at the deadline, it seems Toronto is wanting to win games sooner rather than later, meaning they probably won’t be in the lottery in ’26.
With that being the case, landing one final top prospects is pivotal. As it stands now, the Raptors are likely still a middling East roster, so a blue chip prospect is one of a few things that could send them into the next tier.
The Raptors have the seventh-best odds, so doing so could be an uphill battle.
