Teams around the NBA landscape will be watching ping pong balls fall on Thursday night to see which organization lands the No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft Lottery. For the franchises that finished with poor records this season, this is decision-making time. Some will be looking to keep the top pick, if they are lucky enough to snag it. Others, however, may be looking to deal.
In this piece, we'll take a look at five teams that should consider trading the No. 1 overall pick. It must be noted that there is no clear-cut favorite in this class, which means a swap at the top could be at hand.
5. Charlotte Hornets
The Hornets finished this season with a disappointing 23-42 overall record, which left the franchise with a 10th-place finish in the Eastern Conference standings.
Charlotte (6.0 percent chance at No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft Lottery) is a team that needs talent to play alongside its young core of Devonte' Graham, Miles Bridges and P.J. Washington. Winning the No. 1 pick would be great for the Hornets, but trading down a bit could play into their favor as well.
Trading the pick with another team that is selecting in the top-5 range would allow the Hornets to go after an established player, while also keeping their hopes of landing a prospect like James Wiseman, Onyeka Okongwu, LaMelo Ball or Killian Hayes later in the draft.
4. Memphis Grizzlies
At 0.5 percent, the Grizzlies have the slimmest of odds to land the No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft Lottery, but it's still worth taking a look at their situation.
Memphis (34-39 overall record) fell just shy of the playoffs this season, defeated by the Portland Trail Blazers in a play-in game for the 8th and final seed in the Western Conference. If the Grizzlies plan on making a run in the next campaign, they might be looking for an established shooter to pair with rookie sensation Ja Morant.
If the Grizzlies are willing, they could trade the No. 1 pick in an effort to move down a bit in the picking order. In doing so, the team could stand to gain a 3-point threat, as well as a later selection in the draft.
3. New Orleans Pelicans
Though they were without the services of rookie star Zion Williamson for a large portion of this season due to injury, the Pelicans had some bright spots. A lot of the team's success hinged on center Derrick Favors, who is set to become an unrestricted free agent.
If the Pelicans (30-43 and 13th in the West) are unable to keep Favors aboard, they might consider trading the No. 1 overall pick for an established big man to compliment Zion in the paint, as well as Lonzo Ball in pick-and-roll scenarios.
At 1.2 percent chance in the NBA Draft Lottery, New Orleans has some of the slimmest odds of picking No. 1 overall. Still, there is a chance.
A player like Rudy Gobert seems to be a decent target here, but would the Utah Jazz be willing to part with the Stifle Tower? And what would they seek in return?
2. Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cavs are still rebuilding in a post-LeBron James era. The team has spent three first round picks on backcourt players in the last two drafts, which includes those for Darius Garland, Collin Sexton and Kevin Porter Jr.
This means that Cleveland isn't looking for backcourt help. However, the team could be looking to find a big man for the future. Tristan Thompson, the longest-tenured member of the team, will be hitting free agency. Andre Drummond, who came to the Cavs earlier this year as part of a trade with the Detroit Pistons, will have one year left on his deal if he picks up his player option. Most experts believe Drummond will do just that.
The wings are another spot where the Cavs might be looking to improve. If Cleveland was to trade the No. 1 pick, it would still have a shot a landing players like Deni Avdija, Devin Vassell, James Wiseman, Onyeka Okongwu or Isaac Okoro. However, some of these talented players will go fast.
Targets for Cleveland should include any high-level big, or a wing that would compete with Cedi Osman and Porter Jr. at the small forward position.
1. Golden State Warriors
The Warriors have been a mainstay in the playoffs for years. This season, however, the Dubs finished with the worst record in the NBA (15-30). Injuries played a role, to be sure, including those to Klay Thompson and Stephen Curry. As a result, Golden State has a 14.0 percent chance of landing the No. 1 overall pick in this year's NBA Draft Lottery, which is tied with the Cavs and Minnesota Timberwolves.
On the bright side, the Warriors have several assets at their disposal, including a bunch of picks. Ultimately, though, Golden State will likely be looking for a rebound season, which means they could be in search of an immediate contributor. It seems strange to think that this team — with stars like Steph, Klay and Draymond Green — could get the No. 1 pick, but that is exactly the scenario at hand.
Golden State could technically swing for the fences, offering a package of picks and players for top-level talent. Might the Warriors be able to land a player like Devin Booker from the Phoenix Suns? It's unlikely that the Suns would be willing to part with their star piece, but the Dubs could be looking for a player of his caliber.
The 2020 NBA Draft Lottery will take place on Thursday at 8:30 p.m. ET. The virtual event will be televised by ESPN.
Let's see how the ping pong balls fall.
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