The regular season is over and that means the playoff field is set. For those franchises unfortunate enough to have missed the postseason, however, the focus now shifts to the 2016 NBA Draft, which will give them a chance to add young pieces they hope could turn into cornerstones.
2016 NBA draft order and lottery odds: 76ers and Lakers have the best shot at the No. 1 pick
The draft order is nearly set, pending a few tiebreaks. Philadelphia and Los Angeles have the best shot at the first overall pick, while the Celtics could strike gold thanks to the selection the Nets owe them.
The 2015 rookie class was one of the best in a while. Karl-Anthony Towns emerged as a star in his rookie year while Kristaps Porzingis, Devin Booker, D'Angelo Russell and Jahlil Okafor all showed the potential to be franchise players in the future. The 2016 class is not considered to have as many elite prospects but there are very intriguing young players near the top and there's always talent there for the taking for teams that scout well.
Ben Simmons and Brandon Ingram are considered to be the two best players in the draft. The two couldn't be more different in terms of skill sets. Simmons is a combo forward in the true sense. He can make plays for himself and for others while rebounding at a high level. The big black mark on his scouting report is his broken shot, which could make him a tough player to build around. Ingram, on the other hand, is a smooth 6'9 shooter who has drawn some comparisons to Kevin Durant and should fit seamlessly in any roster.
Either forward would make a fine addition to the 76ers, the team that finished with the worst record in the league and has the best odds to land the top pick. The Lakers, which posted the second-worst record in the league, will have to rely on the ping pong balls to keep their pick, as it's only top-three protected. Philadelphia gets it otherwise. The Celtics, meanwhile, will benefit from the Nets' terrible season and land a top-five pick, which they got in the Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett trade, despite making the playoffs.
The fate of many franchises will be tied to this draft. For now, this is the order and the odds of getting the top pick for the teams that will attend the draft lottery on May 17.
Draft position and No. 1 pick odds
First round
1. Philadelphia 76ers (25 percent)
2. Los Angeles Lakers (19.9 percent)
3. Boston Celtics (via Nets, 15.6 percent)
4. Phoenix Suns (11.9 percent)
5. Minnesota Timberwolves (8.8 percent)
6. New Orleans Pelicans (6.3 percent)
7. Denver Nuggets (via Knicks, 4.3 percent)
8. Toronto Raptors (via Nuggets, 1.9 percent)
9. Sacramento Kings (1.9 percent)
10. Milwaukee Bucks (1.8 percent)
11. Orlando Magic (0.8 percent)
12. Utah Jazz (0.7 percent)
13. Phoenix Suns (via Wizards, 0.6 percent)
14. Chicago Bulls (0.5 percent)
15. Denver Nuggets (via Rockets)
16. Boston Celtics (via Mavericks)*
17. Memphis Grizzlies*
18. Denver Nuggets (via Trail Blazers)*
19. Detroit Pistons*
20. Indiana Pacers
21. Philadelphia 76ers (via Heat)*
22. Boston Celtics*
23: Atlanta Hawks*
24. Charlotte Hornets*
26. Philadelphia 76ers (via Thunder)
27. Toronto Raptors
28. Phoenix Suns (Via Cavaliers)
Second round
31. Celtics (via 76ers)
32. Lakers
33. Clippers (via Nets)
34. Suns
35. Celtics (via Timberwolves)
36. Bucks (via Pelicans)
37. Rockets (via Knicks)
38. Pelicans (via Nuggets)
39. Bucks
40. Pelicans (via Kings)
41. Magic
42. Jazz
43. Rockets
44. Hawks (via Wizards)
45. Celtics (via Grizzlies)*
46. Mavericks*
47. Magic*
48. Pistons*
49. Bulls (via Trail Blazers)*
50. Pacers
51. Hawks*
52. Celtics (via Heat)*
53. Jazz (via Celtics)*
54. Nuggets (via Hornets)*
55. Nets (via Clippers)
56. Nuggets (via Thunder)
57. Grizzlies (via Raptors)
58. Celtics (via Cavaliers)
59. Kings (via Spurs)
60. Jazz (via Jazz)
*Pending tiebreaks
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