While the NBA’s trade deadline and buyout season have given several contending teams a chance to load up for the stretch run, they’ve also given a number of teams at the bottom of the NBA’s standings to prepare for a run of their own — with two months left in the 2017/18 season, the race for the league’s worst record is on.
It’s not unusual for lottery-bound teams to be incorporating young players into their lineups and positioning themselves for a run at the No. 1 pick in the draft at this point in the season. But the sheer number of clubs in contention for that top spot in our reverse standings this year is a little out of the ordinary.
Currently, the Kings (17-38) are in pole position in the race to the bottom, but the Suns (18-40), Hawks (18-39), Mavericks (18-39), Magic (18-38), Grizzlies (18-37), and Nets (19-39) are all within one game of them in the standings. The Bulls (20-36) and Knicks (23-35) aren’t currently part of that logjam, but both teams have essentially given up their playoff hopes and wouldn’t mind getting into the conversation for that No. 1 pick down the stretch too.
Those teams all have between 24 and 27 games left in the regular season, which means that any victory from here on out could have a legitimate impact on a team’s lottery odds. It’s hard to imagine any team with more than six or seven wins the rest of the way having a real shot at finishing the season with the NBA’s worst record.
The playoff push from the top teams in each conference over the next two months is probably the race more worthy of attention, but the race to the bottom will be fascinating, and the stakes are significant — barring some major changes on lottery night, the teams that finish with the NBA’s worst records will have a shot to draft a potential star like Luka Doncic, Deandre Ayton, Mohamed Bamba, or Marvin Bagley III. Whereas a team that goes on a hot streak the rest of the way might end up with the eighth or ninth pick, missing out on that group of possible franchise-changers.
Of course, one team whose end-of-season results will be especially fascinating is Brooklyn. The Nets are the only club of those listed above who won’t have their own pick available in this year’s draft — Cavaliers fans figure to be monitoring Brooklyn games almost as closely as Nets fans in the coming weeks.
What do you think? Which team will finish with the NBA’s worst record? Which teams will come closest? And which of the clubs above do you expect to ultimately miss out on a top-five pick? Vote below and join our discussion in the comment section!
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Looking at the kings now they really only need two or more pieces so i think race to the bottom this and focus on this years draft and fa class. Next year should be a win or transition year
For Dallas. Lots of cap room and another top 5 pick.
The Kings? Two or more pieces to do what exactly? Really? You know they don’t have their 2019 1st round pick and that no one will come to Sacramento in free agency, unless they are grossly overpaid like George Hill was
Without a doubt Sacramento. They don’t have the talent that any of their fellow bottom dwellers do in Phoenix or Dallas.
Kings
Suns
Magic
Nets
Hawks
Mavs
Bulls
Knicks
Grizz
I honestly think the Grizzlies could finish last..
I wish the Bulls would finish last
Oh man, me too, love a nucleus of Dunn, LaVine, Lauri and Bagley or Ayton
omg if by get ayton…
Dal plays Sac tonight. As a Mavs fan I hope we sit Barnes, DSJ, Dirk, and Matthews
Lakers
Atlanta
Most teams average about the same.
Suns will probably win a few more games now that they got Elfrid Payton
Yes that was reflected by the 40+ beatdown on Monday, where Payton dropped 29. Payton does have a great track record of making teams better though. Just look at all the success the Magic had with him running point
Suns still suck but they added a young player who is playing better than he ever did in Orlando. Just adding a spark to their team could add 1-2 wins, I’m not saying they’re gonna start winning. They’re still terrible. But the Kings added who Shumpert and Joe Johnson who’s now a Rocket? I was just saying it probably won’t be the Suns with the worst record.
Knicks in last. Why? KP is gone and Ron Baker is still on the roster somehow. He looks like an extra from the movie Stayin’ Alive.
Baker is out for the season as well
Hard to say. There’s always the March “Surprise”! I remember the first year after James left, Cleveland was dumping players left and right and was generally thought of as the worst, but in the end, the Timberwolves beat the Cavs to be the worst. .
As a Cavs fan, I’d love for it to be the Nets. But honestly they look to have a team capable of winning some games down the stretch; they have some talent and they’re a scrappy team, which I like too.
I’d personally guess the Kings or Hawks though.
If the knicks didn’t have to leap frog so many teams, I’d say them.
Even though it’s only like 6 games. It’s just a lot of teams. If the Knicks don’t win another game all year, someone will still win less
Scott Perry will have 3 teams in the lottery, including the worst Sacto.