Where Traded Draft Picks Would Land If Season Doesn’t Resume

Earlier today, we explored what the lottery odds for the 2020 NBA draft would look like if the regular season doesn’t resume. We’re now applying that hypothetical to another aspect of the draft and examining which traded 2020 picks would and wouldn’t change hands based on the current standings.

Our projections below assume that the NBA will sort its standings by winning percentage in scenarios where teams haven’t played the same number of games this season. Again, this is just a hypothetical exercise — if the season resumes, the order below would likely change.

With that in mind and with the help of our reverse standings, let’s take a closer look at where this year’s traded draft picks would land if the NBA has played its last regular season game of 2019/20.

First round:

16. Minnesota Timberwolves (from Nets)
17. Boston Celtics (from Grizzlies)
19. Brooklyn Nets (from Sixers)
    • Note: Could be No. 20 depending on random tiebreaker.
20. Milwaukee Bucks (from Pacers)
    • Note: Could be No. 19 depending on random tiebreaker.
21. Philadelphia 76ers (from Thunder)
    • Note: Could be No. 22 depending on random tiebreaker.
22. Denver Nuggets (from Rockets)
    • Note: Could be No. 21 depending on random tiebreaker.
25. Oklahoma City Thunder (from Nuggets)
27. New York Knicks (from Clippers)
30. Boston Celtics (from Bucks)

Protected picks:

• Golden State Warriors (to Nets; top-20 protected)
• Cleveland Cavaliers (to Pelicans; top-20 protected)
• Utah Jazz (to Grizzlies; top-7 and 15-30 protected)

Notes:

• The Thunder pick would be the one worth watching closest if the season does resume. It’s top-20 protected, so OKC would keep it if it were to move up a spot or two, sending the Sixers second-round picks in 2022 and 2023 instead.

Second round:

31. Dallas Mavericks (from Warriors)
32. Charlotte Hornets (from Cavaliers)
34. Philadelphia 76ers (from Hawks)
35. Sacramento Kings (from Pistons)
36. Philadelphia 76ers (from Knicks)
37. Washington Wizards (from Bulls)
38. New York Knicks (from Hornets)
39. New Orleans Pelicans (from Wizards)
40. Memphis Grizzlies (from Suns)
46. Boston Celtics (from Nets)
47. Chicago Bulls (from Grizzlies)
48. Golden State Warriors (from Mavericks)
52. Atlanta Hawks (from Rockets)
    • Note: Could be No. 51 depending on random tiebreaker.
53. Sacramento Kings (from Heat)
54. Golden State Warriors (from Jazz)
55. Brooklyn Nets (from Nuggets)
56. Charlotte Hornets (from Celtics)
59. Philadelphia 76ers (from Lakers)
60. New Orleans Pelicans (from Bucks)

Protected picks:

• Indiana Pacers (to Nets; 45-60 protected)
• Portland Trail Blazers (to Nets; top-55 protected)

Notes:

• The Hawks will receive the more favorable of Houston’s and Miami’s second-round picks, while the Kings will receive the less favorable of those two picks. Those two picks could end up right next to one another, since the Rockets (40-24) and Heat (41-24) have nearly identical records.
• The Celtics’ pick looks like it will be one of the rare second-rounders with heavy protection that will actually change hands. Boston would have kept it if it had fallen in the top 53.