NBA Draft Rumors: Warriors, Raptors, Jazz Execs Were ‘Indifferent’ to Lottery Results

Timothy Rapp@@TRappaRTFeatured Columnist IVMay 13, 2024

Jacek Boczarski/Anadolu via Getty Images

The 2024 NBA draft class is not considered a strong one, to the point that some teams reportedly weren’t even worried about the possibility of losing their first-round pick at the draft lottery, depending on how the order shook out.

According to ESPN’s Zach Lowe: “In the weeks leading to Sunday, even officials from teams who stood to potentially lose their first-round picks depending on the luck of the draw—the Toronto Raptors, Utah Jazz and Golden State Warriors among them—seemed indifferent to the results.”

Lowe noted that this year’s draft doesn’t have a consensus top selection, though he reported that a number of NBA officials and agents said Alex Sarr is “the one player most likely to fall in the top two or three of almost every team’s draft board” but that it was “chaos” after him.

He added that “team officials expect several teams might investigate the return for trading down a few slots—only to have trouble finding a trade partner eager to deal meaningful assets to move up.”

The Atlanta Hawks won the draft lottery, giving them the top overall pick and major question marks about what they’ll do with the pick and the veteran backcourt of Trae Young and Dejounte Murray.

Last year, winning the lottery meant the San Antonio Spurs were able to select a generational talent in Victor Wembanyama. This year, it doesn’t appear the Hawks have the sort of franchise-altering talent available to select. And the teams behind them don’t seem much more excited either.