The NBA conducted its draft tiebreakers on Tuesday, further cementing the draft order for 2021. While we’ll have to wait until the June 22 draft lottery to learn the exact order for this year’s event, we now know what most of the 60 selections look like.
Listed below is the pre-lottery 2021 NBA draft order. Each lottery team’s chances of landing the No. 1 overall pick are noted in parentheses. We’ve also included notes for picks whose status remains up in the air — for example, the Timberwolves‘ first-round pick could still technically end up with either Minnesota or the Warriors.
The second-round draft order for teams with identical regular season records is the inverse of their first-round order. So regardless of today’s tiebreakers, the exact order of a few second-round picks will hinge on next month’s lottery results.
For instance, even though the Thunder won the tiebreaker vs. the Cavaliers for the No. 4 spot in the lottery standings, Cleveland could still leapfrog Oklahoma City in the lottery, in which case the Thunder’s second-round pick would move ahead of the Cavs’ second-rounder.
We’ll provided an updated list after the June 22 lottery, once the official draft order is set, but here’s the tentative 2021 NBA draft order:
First Round:
- Houston Rockets (14.0%)
- Note: The Thunder will have the ability to swap the Heat’s first-round pick (No. 18) for this selection if it falls outside of the top four.
- Detroit Pistons (14.0%)
- Orlando Magic (14.0%)
- Oklahoma City Thunder (11.5%)
- Cleveland Cavaliers (11.5%)
- Golden State Warriors (from Timberwolves) (9.0%)
- Note: The Timberwolves will retain this pick if it moves into the top three.
- Toronto Raptors (7.5%)
- Orlando Magic (from Bulls) (4.5%)
- Note: The Bulls will retain this pick if it moves into the top four.
- Sacramento Kings (4.5%)
- New Orleans Pelicans (4.5%)
- Charlotte Hornets (1.8%)
- San Antonio Spurs (1.7%)
- Indiana Pacers (1.0%)
- Golden State Warriors (0.5%)
- Washington Wizards
- Oklahoma City Thunder (from Celtics)
- Memphis Grizzlies
- Oklahoma City Thunder (from Heat)
- Note: The Thunder will have the ability to swap this pick for the Rockets’ pick if Houston’s pick falls outside of the top four.
- New York Knicks
- Atlanta Hawks
- New York Knicks (from Mavericks)
- Los Angeles Lakers
- Houston Rockets (from Trail Blazers)
- Houston Rockets (from Bucks)
- Los Angeles Clippers
- Denver Nuggets
- Brooklyn Nets
- Philadelphia 76ers
- Phoenix Suns
- Utah Jazz
Second Round:
- Milwaukee Bucks (from Rockets)
- New York Knicks (from Pistons)
- Orlando Magic
- New Orleans Pelicans (from Cavaliers)
- Oklahoma City Thunder
- Note: The Nos. 34 and 35 picks would swap places if Cleveland gets a higher first-round pick than Oklahoma City via the lottery.
- Oklahoma City Thunder (from Timberwolves)
- Detroit Pistons (from Raptors)
- Chicago Bulls (from Pelicans)
- Sacramento Kings
- New Orleans Pelicans (from Bulls)
- Note: The Nos. 38, 39, and 40 picks may swap places based on the lottery results. However, the Bulls will always pick ahead of the Pelicans, since Chicago has the ability to swap second-round picks with New Orleans.
- San Antonio Spurs
- Detroit Pistons (from Hornets)
- Note: The Nos. 41 and 42 picks would swap places if San Antonio gets a higher first-round pick than Charlotte via the lottery.
- New Orleans Pelicans (from Wizards)
- Brooklyn Nets (from Pacers)
- Boston Celtics
- Toronto Raptors (from Grizzlies)
- Toronto Raptors (from Warriors)
- Atlanta Hawks (from Heat)
- Brooklyn Nets (from Hawks)
- Philadelphia 76ers (from Knicks)
- Memphis Grizzlies (from Trail Blazers)
- Detroit Pistons (from Lakers)
- New Orleans Pelicans (from Mavericks)
- Indiana Pacers (from Bucks)
- Oklahoma City Thunder (from Nuggets)
- Charlotte Hornets (from Clippers)
- Charlotte Hornets (from Nets)
- New York Knicks (from Sixers)
- Brooklyn Nets (from Suns)
- Indiana Pacers (from Jazz)
Between now and 2027, the OKC have 19 first round and 18 second round picks.
At a certain point they are going to just have to keep picking draft-and-stash guys that they will never bring over just to not use up a roster spot or they are going to have their rookies on really short leashes (rookie plays bad in first year, they are let go) and constant roster turnover just to accommodate their picks. Doesn’t make too much sense to me honestly.
Or after drafting a couple studs they can package them and/or the picks to acquire a superstar or two to round out the roster. In a best case scenario, that is.
I wouldn’t go so far as to say it doesn’t make sense, but there is definitely risk involved. Draft picks are potential, not a promise. Having a lot of them theoretically maximizes your chance of hitting on something worthwhile. Busts still exist, even in the first round, and to your point if they don’t hit on someone they’ll eventually have to burn through some of them.
I still think for a small market team like OKC this is a solid approach. They’re not attracting free agents, so they have to draft. Now they just have more at bats.
Yeah solid points, and your “more at bats” analogy makes sense. I just wonder how many picks are going to be let go after 1-2 seasons or used on international players who don’t come over. And even if they use the players or picks in trades they are still going to have so many picks left. Also I shouldn’t have said “it doesn’t make sense honestly”, because if the Cavs had that many picks I would be complaining lol (although I think I would prefer to have 1-2 picks a year to develop and keep the current core players intact).
You can never have to many 1st round picks. They can also use the picks to acquire future picks. They’ll probably have plenty of Cap space to pursue stud free agents. They are in great shape.
Yeah good point. It’s just that 19 over a six year stretch means you most likely won’t keep half of them. I’m sure some will be busts but I feel like a lot of people agree that some young players are out of the league before they are fully developed even though they have the talent to be good. But again, I understand wanting to have as many 1sts as possible
Ever heard the phrase “too many cooks spoil the broth?” Yes you can have too many draft picks. Well actually from the team’s perspective it is good to have that many, but from the perspective of the players they pick you can. Look at Boston. They had a ton of first round picks and most of them are basically in limbo because there are only so many spots. And only one ball.
It is a good problem to have, but it still could be a problem.
Makes tons of sense to me. In Presti we trust.
(We’re not going to draft 37 players over 7 years.) Expect a LOT of wheelin and dealin every year.
Presti is top tier GM so I’m sure you’re right
I would rather be drafted by another team than one that has 18 more first rounders over the next six years. Unless I had the urge to be a mother hen veteran by a few years in.
OKC definitely has the assets to swing a few major deals. Even moving up the draft for a player they like. Don’t forget that. Like this yrs deep draft. Their second pick could be at 18. They could move up to grab Giddey a future big traditional PG. moving up from 18 to 12-14 should be no problem for them. For a player they really like. Even next yr they could move up into top 5 or better, if let’s say their own pick is top 8. Point is they have plenty of options.
Knicks have 19, 21, 32 and 58 in draft. We are probably losing Noel. So I expect we are drafting a big. Bassey (W Kentucky) and Jackson (Kentucky) would fit nicely here. Like them both. Jackson more a 4-5 with size. Bassey is a center old school way. I can see taking a big and trading for a player with other picks. Unless there is a real PG available (Giddey) maybe. The 3 picks in top 32 us very exciting to me. Let’s do this right Thibs.
You can’t have too many draft picks if you’re a team that understands the value of different draft picks at different points, and can navigate the pre-draft trade market. OKC (Presti) by all accounts does and can. Just because he’s stockpiling draft picks doesn’t mean he intends to stockpile young players with no path to playing time. You can question his picks, or not, but you can’t question his willingness to meet the draft day (week) trade market (which is different every year and can change very quickly) to get the players he wants.
Presti does trade. But he seems to be taking risks so far… Pokusevski, and Maledon later than expected.