Denver Nuggets: 3 things to watch for at the NBA Draft Lottery

Denver Nuggets, 3 things to watch at the NBA Draft Lottery: New Orleans jumping again

In the 2019 NBA Draft, the New Orleans Pelicans had a six percent chance at jumping to the first overall pick, the seventh-best odds that year. They did. They drafted Zion Williamson and here we are.

This year, they have the tenth-best offs, tied with three other teams with a 4.5 percent chance at leaping into the top spot.

It’d raise some series questions about frozen envelopes again, especially after John Hollinger, The Athletic speculated that New Orleans might be the most likely team to relocate given its lackluster ticket sales and stadium lease ending in 2024.

From a Denver Nuggets point of view, the Pelicans have been irrelevant for most of the time they’ve been rising so it hasn’t mattered thus far, but what if one more blue-chip piece pushes them over the edge into playoff contention.

A young core of Zion, Brandon Ingram, Lonzo Ball (pending free agency), and [top tier prospect from the 2021 Draft] is a scary team. At the very least, it looks like it’s ready for playoff action, and another team sticking their nose in the playoff race just makes it all slightly more crowded.

It might raise too many eyebrows if NOLA did jump up again so maybe if there is any rigging going on, it’s Adam Silver making sure the Pels stay in their draft slot not to arouse suspicion.

I apologize for getting too conspiracy theory-y, but the NBA Draft Lottery is right around the corner and it’s getting me excited even though Denver has no ping pong balls in the barrel.