Biggest questions for all 13 teams in the 2025 NBA lottery

CHICAGO -- The Dallas Mavericks -- with conscionable a 1.8% accidental astatine the apical prime -- won the NBA draught lottery Monday night, earning the accidental to prime projected No. 1 prime Cooper Flagg adjacent month.

The San Antonio Spurs, Philadelphia 76ers and Charlotte Hornets volition prime second, 3rd and fourth.

With the implicit bid present known, the 13 lottery teams are shifting gears toward the 2025 NBA draft, to beryllium held June 25 and 26 (8 p.m. ET connected ABC, ESPN and ESPN+) astatine New York's Barclays Center.

NBA fans privation to cognize the authorities of these 13 teams entering the draft. Will landing the No. 1 prime propulsion the Mavs to see roster moves with their existent stars?

Our ESPN NBA experts instrumentality a broad look astatine these questions and much for the lottery teams arsenic we await the draught six weeks from now.

Jump to a team:
ATL | CHA | CHI | DAL
HOU | NO | PHI
POR | SAS | TOR | UTAH | WAS

No. 1: Dallas Mavericks

As wide manager Nico Harrison's way grounds has shown, the Mavericks' roster that finished the 2024-25 play could look antithetic from the 1 successful October. How, and successful what ways, volition the Mavs' first-round prime play into their future?

The Mavericks didn't person to hold agelong to onshore different young franchise cornerstone. Months aft the shocking determination to commercialized Luka Doncic, Dallas moved up successful the lottery for the archetypal clip successful franchise history, cashing successful connected the 1.8% accidental to extremity up with the No. 1 pick.

The wide presumption is that the Mavs volition prime Duke's Cooper Flagg, who is considered a generational talent.

Harrison firmly believes that defence wins championship, and the 6-foot-9 Flagg decidedly fits that profile. -- Tim MacMahon

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Shams: Spurs' lottery leap could interaction Giannis sweepstakes

Shams Charania breaks down the options for the San Antonio Spurs aft they determination up successful the lottery to assertion the 2nd prime successful the 2025 NBA draft.

No. 2: San Antonio Spurs

With 2 lottery picks, are the Spurs leaning toward uncovering a helping astatine No. 2 to assistance dependable their young roster and abstraction the level for their stars?

Absolutely. San Antonio's beforehand bureau has conducted its agelong rebuild by stocking up connected versatile players who yet find a niche wrong the system. But the squad present has 3 players to physique astir successful Victor Wembanyama, De'Aaron Fox and Stephon Castle, which apt gives San Antonio an inclination to instrumentality a much targeted attack than it has successful the caller past to get players complementary to what's already successful place.

The Spurs volition participate the draught with 3 large needs: extent astatine center, supplemental shooting and a reserve combo defender -- aft losing Zach Collins and Tre Jones successful February via trade.

With the Spurs owning the 2nd pick, the earthy thought would beryllium they could look astatine moving it successful a imaginable woody to onshore Giannis Antetokounmpo. But the two-time MVP is 30 years old, which doesn't acceptable San Antonio's existent timeline, and helium doesn't supply the supplemental shooting this squad sorely needs. -- Michael C. Wright

No. 3: Philadelphia 76ers

With a top-three prime and the subordinate options of Andre Drummond, Kelly Oubre Jr. and Eric Gordon playing a relation successful what flexibility Philadelphia has going forward, however important is it for the Sixers to get this prime right?

We person said each on that the nighttime of the lottery volition dictate the 76ers' offseason.

Since the Sixers are top-heavy successful wage -- 77% of their wage is tied up successful Paul George, Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid -- their options were constricted if they did not clasp their first-rounder.

By keeping the prime (it would person gone to the Oklahoma City Thunder if it fell extracurricular of the apical six), Philadelphia volition present person options to support and adhd to a roster that already includes a batch of talent.

One enactment not to disregard is 76ers president Daryl Morey exploring a determination backmost successful the draught for further draught assets oregon taking a plaything if the adjacent All-NBA subordinate becomes disposable successful a trade. Philadelphia present has 4 tradeable firsts, including the 3rd prime successful June and an unprotected 2029 archetypal from the LA Clippers.

However, Morey stressed astatine the season-ending quality league that the extremity is to infuse younker to the existent roster.

"If everything sets up well, we'll person a younger, much dynamic roster astir a steadfast Joel, Tyrese and Paul," Morey said. -- Bobby Marks

No. 4: Charlotte Hornets

What benignant of subordinate would champion acceptable adjacent to the Hornets' halfway of LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller, Miles Bridges and Mark Williams?

When you triumph 19 games and person not reached the postseason since 2016, champion acceptable goes retired the window, adjacent with a roster that includes Ball, Miller and past year's lottery pick, Tidjane Salaun.

Also origin successful that determination is simply a constricted assemblage of enactment to measure with Ball, Miller and Bridges connected the tribunal this season. The Hornets ranked 2nd successful missed games, utilizing 36 antithetic lineups. Ball, Miller, Bridges and Williams shared the tribunal for lone 3% of possessions.

The champion disposable attack apt has Charlotte staring down a radical of guards that includes VJ Edgecombe, Jeremiah Fears, Tre Johnson and Ace Bailey.

The Hornets were a mediocre shooting squad from the perimeter past season, ranking past successful effectual tract extremity percentage. -- Marks

No. 5: Utah Jazz

Utah could person implicit $70 cardinal successful salary-cap abstraction successful 2026, meaning the Jazz tin beryllium aggressive. What are the expectations for the Jazz to remake and adhd to their roster?

The Jazz landed with the 5th wide pick, which was the worst-case but astir apt script aft finishing with the league's worst record. Utah volition apt extremity up with akin likelihood successful adjacent year's lottery.

The Jazz are readying for a diligent rebuild. It appears that Utah volition person to hold astatine slightest 1 much twelvemonth to adhd the benignant of franchise-centerpiece endowment the Jazz truthful desperately need. -- MacMahon

No. 6: Washington Wizards

For a 2nd consecutive year, Washington has a top-six archetypal and a prime successful the teens. How precocious is the ceiling for the Wizards?

The past 2 months of the play are a bully template for Washington's 2025-26. At a clip of twelvemonth successful which astir lottery teams were sinking successful pursuit of amended lottery odds, the Wizards really improved to 9-19 aft the All-Star break, matching their pre-break triumph full successful 25 less games.

That humble occurrence reflected a operation of Washington's 2024 first-round picks progressing implicit their rookie campaigns and the additions of veterans Khris Middleton and Marcus Smart successful deadline deals that besides brought the Wizards aboriginal draught picks (including No. 18 wide from the Grizzlies).

Given however young Washington's rotation volition beryllium with different brace of first-round rookies added to past year's 4 -- the 3 they drafted positive AJ Johnson, acquired from the Bucks with Middleton, each of them teenagers astatine the commencement of the play -- competing for the postseason isn't realistic yet. But arsenic agelong arsenic the Wizards instrumentality a measurement toward competitiveness, their young halfway volition springiness fans successful the DMV country much crushed for optimism than astatine immoderate constituent since Washington's past above-.500 decorativeness successful 2017-18. -- Kevin Pelton

No. 7: New Orleans Pelicans

The Pelicans are selecting successful the apical 7 of the draught for the archetypal clip since Zion Williamson was picked No. 1 successful 2019. How overmuch of the Pels' aboriginal rests with this pick?

Falling backmost from No. 4 to No. 7 is simply a deflating infinitesimal successful New Orleans, particularly aft a play that was marred by injuries.

The Pelicans are, however, inactive successful presumption to adhd an interaction subordinate with the seventh prime to a roster that already includes Williamson, Dejounte Murray, Herbert Jones, CJ McCollum, Trey Murphy III and past year's first-round pick, Yves Missi.

The question volition proceed to hover astir the aboriginal of Williamson and whether the caller beforehand office, led by Joe Dumars, tin physique the roster astir him

Williamson has played successful conscionable 46% of regular-season games since coming into the league and has ne'er appeared successful the playoffs. -- Marks

No. 8: Brooklyn Nets

The Nets person 4 first-round picks, the astir headdress abstraction successful the league and a batch of aboriginal draught capital. What should their attack beryllium this offseason?

The Nets were unlucky connected Monday night, falling to No. 8 arsenic the Spurs and the Mavericks jumped them successful the draught order. Brooklyn is inactive a squad to ticker cautiously implicit the adjacent fewer months, with the flexibility to accelerate their timeline and amended the roster but besides with existent inducement to play the lottery 1 much year. This year's escaped cause people isn't loaded, the 2026 draught looks promising astatine the apical and the Nets beryllium swap rights connected their ain 2027 archetypal to the Rockets. That creates a logical strategy to enactment patient, sphere their headdress flexibility, absorption connected drafting good and processing internally -- past angling to flip the power toward competing a twelvemonth from now.

Of course, the availability of a prima subordinate connected the commercialized marketplace could ever alteration the calculus and crook the Nets into acquirers. For example, the imaginable of a Giannis Antetokounmpo commercialized would surely pique Brooklyn's interest. Still, considering the Nets don't person overmuch proven endowment connected their roster, the outgo and payment of specified a monolithic determination (and immoderate consequent ones to follow) would request to powerfully entreaty for Brooklyn to marque that determination now. The simplest way mightiness beryllium to enactment the people earlier shifting gears adjacent summer. -- Jeremy Woo

No. 9: Toronto Raptors

The Raptors volition adhd a lottery prime to articulation past year's four-man rookie class, and that subordinate besides volition squad up with seasoned Brandon Ingram. What volition it instrumentality for Toronto to get backmost into the playoff mix?

The Raptors person collected young endowment astir Scottie Barnes, but there's a question of acceptable moving forward, with Ingram joining a premix that besides includes RJ Barrett, Immanuel Quickley and Gradey Dick. Toronto has a batch of players who similar to score, but connected paper, there's a request for much connected squad members to facilitate sharing the ball.

The subordinate Toronto selects astatine this spot won't lick everything, but uncovering extent up front, shoring up the defence and figuring retired the violative equilibrium with Ingram are each items the Raptors request to consider. Prospects specified arsenic Collin Murray-Boyles and Derik Queen apt volition person agelong looks present fixed the deficiency of a existent powerfulness guardant connected the roster. -- Woo

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'NBA Countdown' unit successful daze aft Mavericks lottery win

Malika Andrews, Brian Windhorst and Chiney Ogwumike respond to the Mavericks winning the lottery.

No. 10: Houston Rockets (via Phoenix Suns)

After a first-round nonaccomplishment successful the playoffs, what is the Rockets' offseason program and volition 1 of their priorities beryllium to find a large to complement Alperen Sengun?

The Rockets see continuity with their young halfway to beryllium an appealing path, but they volition measurement imaginable pursuits of a proven superstar successful the commercialized market. As wide manager Rafael Stone precocious told ESPN, determination is simply a "high bar" that indispensable beryllium cleared for the Rockets to marque a core-altering deal. Houston's decision-makers would person to beryllium assured that a commercialized volition vault them into the tier of morganatic contenders to springiness up halfway players and dip into their heavy container of draught assets.

The Rockets person been steadfast that rising prima Amen Thompson is off-limits successful immoderate imaginable commercialized discussions.

As acold arsenic a large antheral goes, the Rockets are funny successful re-signing Steven Adams aft helium performed good portion his minutes were cautiously managed during the regular play and was a large crushed Houston extended its first-round bid against the Warriors to 7 games. -- MacMahon

No. 11: Portland Trail Blazers

Among the large issues implicit the summertime for Portland is the information it has 4 veterans -- Anfernee Simons, Matisse Thybulle, Robert Williams III and Deandre Ayton -- entering the past twelvemonth of their contracts. How volition this draught prime play into the Blazers' roster construction?

The upside of the Blazers' beardown 2nd fractional of 2024-25 is that they don't person to draught for request astatine this pick. Portland has a beardown guardant duo successful Deni Avdija and Toumani Camara, its champion players past season; 2 processing guards successful Scoot Henderson and Shaedon Sharpe; and a halfway of the aboriginal successful Donovan Clingan.

That radical of young talent, alternatively than this year's pick, makes the Blazers comfy trading immoderate oregon each of their veterans this offseason. I'd really see guardant Jerami Grant the likeliest commercialized campaigner this summer. Grant played conscionable 2 games aft the extremity of February, avoiding an awkward determination for Chauncey Billups astir whether to commencement Grant -- who past came disconnected the seat successful 2020 -- alternatively of 1 of the team's younger players.

Portland mightiness similar to hold until the deadline to determination players connected expiring contracts. Given the emblematic dearth of teams looking to commercialized distant endowment astatine the deadline, Ayton and Thybulle could person much worth to established contenders by then, portion Williams tin beryllium to teams his quality to enactment connected the court. And the Blazers volition cognize amended whether their young guards tin successfully regenerate Simons. -- Pelton

No. 12: Chicago Bulls

The Bulls ranked 23rd successful antiaircraft ratio and past successful points allowed successful the paint, but are they reasoning draught for request oregon champion fit? The beforehand bureau prioritized a play-in tourney quality implicit expanding its draught lottery odds; volition that wage off?

When the Bulls traded Zach LaVine earlier the Feb. 6 commercialized deadline, they had a 26% accidental astatine a top-four prime and adding the benignant of franchise-changing endowment needed to elevate a squad that has mislaid successful the play-in tourney successful 3 consecutive seasons. Instead, absorption prioritized acquisition for the young endowment already connected the roster portion teams specified arsenic Philadelphia, Toronto and Brooklyn gained amended lottery odds.

Chicago finished 15-6 down the agelong but got trounced by Miami successful a location play-in crippled arsenic its likelihood plummeted to 1.7% for the apical prime and to 8% for a top-four selection. As a squad that has finished with an identical 39-43 grounds the past 2 seasons, the Bulls request to find a mode to adhd superstar endowment to elevate themselves from the mediate of the pack. -- Jamal Collier

No. 13: Atlanta Hawks (via Sacramento Kings)

The Hawks person repositioned themselves with a young roster and added fiscal flexibility. How should Trae Young acceptable into the aboriginal of this team?

Atlanta has spent the past 7 seasons trying to enactment the close premix of endowment astir Young, whose quality arsenic a scorer and playmaker has dictated the team's benignant of play nether respective coaches to mixed results. The Hawks are inactive searching for a apical enforcement to pb hoops operations, and for what to bash with Young, who is up for an extension, arsenic is NBA Most Improved Player victor Dyson Daniels.

As Atlanta lays retired the imaginativeness moving forward, it has to see however a important fiscal committedness to Young impacts its flexibility. If the Hawks determine it's clip to spell a antithetic direction, this is apt the model to determination him, earlier helium gets much costly and harder to trade. However, the marketplace for Young has not been particularly blistery implicit the past mates of seasons, and the Hawks' quality and willingness to determination him mightiness besides hinge connected wherever they gully the enactment connected his commercialized value.

The quality present mightiness beryllium that the emergence of Jalen Johnson, Zaccharie Risacher and Daniels has fixed the Hawks overmuch much stableness gathering retired the roster should they woody their prima guard. -- Woo

No. 14: San Antonio Spurs (via Atlanta Hawks)

Though Victor Wembanyama is one-of-one, the Spurs volition request to find idiosyncratic who tin support the rim erstwhile helium is connected the bench. What are the options?

San Antonio traded backup halfway Zach Collins successful February, and connected the aforesaid time that determination was made official, caller superior reserve halfway Charles Bassey suffered a genu wounded that kept him retired of 31 of the team's past 35 games. Bassey's erstwhile 2 seasons ended owed to genu injuries, and helium hasn't played much than 36 games passim immoderate of his 4 years successful the NBA. Given Bassey's history, and the information that he's astir to deed escaped agency, it's clip for the Spurs to prioritize extent down Wembanyama.

But San Antonio won't effort to unit a acceptable successful the draught wherever determination isn't one. It appears much apt the nine volition effort to adhd a reserve halfway successful escaped agency, wherever the imaginable proven options are much plentiful and acceptable to lend immediately. The Spurs don't person clip to hold for a young halfway to develop. -- Wright