The right to select LSU's Ben Simmons is at stake at the 2016 NBA Draft Lottery. (Photo : Getty Images/Mike Stobe)
The 2016 NBA Draft Lottery - NBA fans are now few hours away from knowing what will be the picture for the upcoming NBA Draft in June. After 8:00 p.m US ET, one of the 14 teams will take home the no.1 overall pick and the right to select top NBA prospects like LSU's Ben Simmons, Duke's Brandon Ingram or perhaps this year's wild-card Thon Maker.
Broadcast Details:
Event: 2016 NBA Draft at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York (March 17, 2016)
TV Info / Live Stream: ESPN at 8:00 p.m US ET / Live Stream on ESPN Watch
Draft Order: ESPN NBA Draft Coverage
Pre-NBA Draft Lottery updates
Los Angeles Lakers: the Lakers have 19.9 percent chance of landing the top pick in this year's draft. After scooping up D'Angelo Russell with the no.2 overall pick, Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak is looking on an opportunity to pair him with another talented young player in an attempt to accelerate the rebuilding phase of the franchise.
On the other hand, the Lakers could go home empty-handed if they fall outside the top-3. The Sixers, who already possessed the highest chance of scoring the top pick in the lottery, could add another lottery pick depending on where the Lakers would end up. Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times called it a 'Nash-sized' loss if that ever happen, though he doesn't think it would affect the Lakers' pursuit of top free-agents this summer.
Boston Celtics: Who would ever think the Celtics will gain a strong 15.6 chance of ending up with the top pick. Acquired from the trade that sent Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce to the Brooklyn Nets three years ago, Celtics top executive Danny Ainge couldn't be happier enough, knowing that they could add another talented player to its young and impressive core under prodigious head coach Brad Stevens.
Philadelphia 76ers: Like the Lakers, the Sixers could make their first real step towards ending years of futility by landing the top pick, and if the Gods permit, another lottery pick courtesy of the Lakers. Thanks to former GM Sam Hinkie, the Sixers already possess arguably the deepest stash of frontline prospect such as Nerlens Noel, Jahlil Okafor, Joel Embid and the incoming Dario Saric.
There's always the possibility of trading the weakest of their frontline trio for solid package, but expect the Sixers to use their picks for a quality guard and wingman. Explosive guards Buddy Hield of Oklahoma and Jamal Murray are emerging as the two likely candidates to go to Philadelphia at Draft Night.
Toronto Raptors: the Raps punched their ticket to the Eastern Conference for the first time in franchise history. Before they kick off their seven-game battle with the Cleveland Cavaliers at 8:30 p,m, Toronto will have the luxury to get another valuable asset which Masai Ujiri could flip into another star.
Thanks to the Knicks trade blunder (the Andrea Bargnani deal), the Raptors have a solid 1.9 percent chance of scoring the top pick. The North has all the momentum in the world right now. They could even become a lot stronger a year later, starting off with a good lottery on Tuesday.
