The 2024 NBA draft lottery is officially in the books and the first 14 selections are set for the June event. One of the biggest surprises was the Atlanta Hawks securing the No. 1 overall pick despite having only a 3% of winning the lottery. The San Antonio Spurs and Portland Trail Blazers each have two lottery selections, while the Houston Rockets also moved up into the top 4 after a surprising .500 season.
Here’s a look at how we see the first 14 selections playing out with the lottery teams set into their correct slots.
1. Atlanta Hawks – Alex Sarr, Perth Wildcats
The Hawks could explore trades with their backcourt, and that might change their thinking surrounding this pick. If they keep the roster as is, I think Sarr makes the most sense as a defensive star in the making who has shown flashes offensively. Atlanta’s offensive system will benefit him, and he can take on some of the tougher defensive assignments to boost the Hawks on that side of the ball right away.
2. Washington Wizards – Donovan Clingan, UConn
While I do think there are several paths the Wizards could go, getting things cleaned up on the interior is the priority. Clingan showcased his upside in some of UConn’s big tournment wins, but he’s going to immediately bolster Washington’s defense with his ability to block shots and protect the paint. That’s something hard for the Wizards to pass up on, even if some other players might carry more potential offensively.
3. Houston Rockets – Zaccharie Risacher, France
The Rockets climb up in the lottery with the pick they got from the Nets and even though they could use immediate help, I think they go with the upside of Risacher. He’s got versatility as a combo forward, which Houston will value given its current roster. If Risacher’s three-point shot becomes consistent, he’ll be a star offensively with his overall ability.
4. San Antonio Spurs – Stephon Castle, UConn
The Spurs will fret a bit with Washington’s pick as the Wizards could take a point guard, but they ultimately end up grabbing Castle. The lack of a consistent perimeter shot might be worrying but there’s no place better to improve on that than San Antonio. Castle immediately anchors the defense on the perimeter, and it helps when you have Victor Wembanyama guarding the interior. This could be San Antonio’s next great tandem.
5. Detroit Pistons – Matas Buzelis, Lithuania
The Pistons couldn’t fall further than fifth, so this is really unfortunate for Detroit. There’s several choices for the Pistons but I believe Buzelis has the best fit next to Cade Cunningham and Jalen Duren. He’s a secondary creator for the Pistons out of the frontcourt and if his perimeter shot comes around, he’ll be one of the better players in this class.
6. Charlotte Hornets – Rob Dillingham, Kentucky
I think the Hornets want to re-create some of what they had with LaMelo Ball and Terry Rozier. Dillingham is a much more consistent shooter and more importantly, will be on a rookie contract. He’s a good secondary threat alongside Ball and Brandon Miller, who exploded late in his rookie season. Charlotte should lean into its offense and add the Kentucky guard to play off the ball.
7. Portland Trail Blazers – Dalton Knecht, Tennessee
Portland has plenty of guards, so the emphasis will be put on the rest of the roster this offseason. Wing scoring will take some of the burden off the likes of Anfernee Simons and Shaedon Sharpe, so Knecht makes a ton of sense here. The Volunteers star went on a great tournament run and can score from anywhere on the floor.
8. San Antonio Spurs (via Raptors) – Nikola Topic, Serbia
The Spurs love international prospects, and Topic fills a positional need as well. He’s a better playmaker than Castle, although both could play together in a theoretical future roster. Topic isn’t expected to necessarily fall this far but I don’t think the Spurs pass up on him here.
9. Memphis Grizzlies – Ron Holland, G League Ignite
The Grizzlies have always drafted for upside instead of immediate fit, and a lot of their young wing players haven’t panned out lately. I do think Holland will be given more time to develop as Memphis figures out what it currently has. The Ignite forward closed the season strong and can afford to take his lumps offensively with this roster, but he fits defensively and can contribute as a bench player in his rookie season.
10. Utah Jazz – Reed Sheppard, Kentucky
The Jazz held onto their pick and likely go with Sheppard, who looked lost in the NCAA tournament but was a strong performer over the course of the regular season. Utah has some great scorers in the making with Keyonte George and Lauri Markkanen, so getting a point guard who can routinely set them up is key.
11. Chicago Bulls – Jared McCain, Duke
The Bulls didn’t quite get the same luck as they had when they were able to select Derrick Rose with the No. 1 pick. They still need a point guard and McCain appears to be the best fit. He’s a solid defender who can also shoot the triple, making him a strong fit next to Coby White in this system.
12. Oklahoma City Thunder (via Rockets) – Cody Williams, Colorado
It worked out well for the Thunder with Jalen Williams, so why not take his brother? Oklahoma City has a ton of flexibility and is in no rush when it comes to player development, so Williams has time to add to his offensive game. He’s a great athlete and has the tools to be a solid defender, so I think the Thunder take the gamble here and grab him.
13. Sacramento Kings – Ja’Kobe Walter, Baylor
The Kings do need some help defensively, and there’s a possibility Malik Monk leaves in free agency. Enter Walter, a defensive star in the making who has shown flashes of offensive brilliance. His perimeter shot might never come around but the Kings had success with De’Aaron Fox adding some shooting. They could do the same with Walter, who can contribute right away for a team thinking about a deep playoff run.
14. Portland Trail Blazers (via Warriors) – Tidjane Salaun, France
The Trail Blazers could go with a guard here but it’s hard to imagine that type of player getting enough minutes to be on the right development path. Salaun doesn’t exactly have a mold as a player but looking at Jerami Grant every day might not be such a bad idea. I think the Blazers are in the early stages of a long rebuild and can take a chance on a raw athlete here.