Planning for the NBA Draft is quite the challenging endeavor for general managers. Like with most drafts in sports, you have to account for what others teams are looking to do when making your plans. In the NBA, though, the draft lottery adds a layer of complication to this process.
With that in mind, Washington Wizards general manager Will Dawkins empahsized the need for contingency plans in the draft. While there's some element of luck needed, being prepared for every possible scenario is impprtant.
"You definitely have to get lucky in terms of your positioning with some of the lottery," Dawkins said, via ClutchPoints. "But you put a plan in place, you have a couple exit ramps where you can get off if you need to, if it doesn't go your way. But for the most part, it's strategically driven. You've just gotta be fortunate where you're at sometimes with the ping-pong balls, but also with how you evaluate. I think you control a lot of that."
The Wizards currently have the second-worst record in the league this season. Under the new system introduced in 2017, the three teams with the worst record in the league have a 14% chance of getting the first overall pick. This essentially means that your draft standing won't be determined until after the lottery, complicating the draft scouting process for teams.
The 2025 NBA Draft is loaded with talent, especially at the top. Duke's Cooper Flagg is the consensus first overall pick, but players like VJ Edgecombe, Dylan Harper, and Ace Bailey are standouts as well. As long as the Wizards get a top-3 pick, they should be satisfied.
The 2025 NBA Draft Lottery will happen on May 12 in Chicago.
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This story was originally published March 18, 2025 at 10:22 PM.