2024 NBA draft: Biggest post-lottery questions for the 12 teams

CHICAGO — In a surprise twist, the Atlanta Hawks — with just a 3% chance to win — walked away atop Sunday’s NBA draft lottery.

The Washington Wizards, Houston Rockets and San Antonio Spurs will pick second, third and fourth, an unexpected scenario after chaos unfolded in the drawing room. Atlanta, Houston and San Antonio’s picks all jumped into the top four, which also bumped the Toronto Raptors out of the No. 6 spot, causing their pick to convey the Spurs a second lottery selection.

With the complete draft order now known, including ESPN’s mock draft projections, the 22 teams that have concluded their seasons are shifting gears toward the 2024 NBA draft, to be held June 26 and 27 (8 p.m. ET, on ABC, ESPN and ESPN+) at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

NBA fans want to know what the state of these 12 teams entering the draft is now. Will landing the No. 1 pick push Atlanta to consider roster moves with its current stars, what type of player will San Antonio surround Victor Wembanyama with and how will the Wizards approach drafting No. 2 overall? Our ESPN NBA experts take a comprehensive look at these questions and more for each of the lottery teams as we patiently await the draft, which is less than two months away.

Jump to a team:
ATL | WAS | HOU | SAS | DET | CHA
POR | MEM | UTAH | CHI | OKC | SAC

Is it truly smart to break up the Dejounte Murray and Trae Young backcourt?

Getting the No. 1 pick does not dismiss how Atlanta should evaluate the Murray and Young backcourt. Per Cleaning the Glass, Atlanta was outscored by 6.0 per 100 possessions this season when both players were on the court together. The Hawks had a 120.7 defensive efficiency rating in their shared minutes, fifth worst among more than 225 duos to play 1,000 minutes together. Murray is entering Year 1 of a four-year, $120 million extension. His $24.8 million cap hit is $20 million less than a max player. Young has two years left on his contract ($43 million and $46 million) and can become a free agent in 2026. — Bobby Marks

How should the Wizards approach their highest draft pick in over a decade?

The Wizards’ regime of team president Michael Winger and general manager Will Dawkins continue their overhaul of the franchise with their next biggest step — the draft. Winger loves building and doing so by piecing everything together patiently. For a franchise and fanbase that has often felt cursed, the Wizards got a win in the lottery by not falling lower than the top two after having the second worst record (15-67) last season. With the No. 2 overall pick in a draft with no consensus generational talent, the Wizards can afford to take a project who has potential, develop him and then wait. This regime’s first draft produced a find in French shooting guard Bilal Coulibaly, who was considered to be a project but flashed quicker than expected last season. Washington can use size inside but Winger and Dawkins will continue to slowly build the roster with players they want. At No. 1 overall, Washington has a history of draft hits such as John Wall and misses such as Kwame Brown. But the last time the franchise picked second overall in 1968, it landed Wes Unseld — arguably the greatest player in franchise history. — Ohm Youngmisuk

(via Houston Rockets)

What does the Thunder’s recent draft history tell us about what they could do with this pick?

Sam Presti, the Thunder’s executive vice president and general manager, is going to try and maximize the value of this pick as best he can. Last year, he slid back two picks and still wound up with , who has played a big role in the Thunder’s playoff run. The incredible stash of picks at Presti’s disposal will allow him to go after who he wants if the Thunder want to move up or slide back and acquire extra assets for the inevitable cash-in of that hoard. — Andrew Lopez

If leaves in free agency, how can the team fill the gap and remain competitive?