Chris Mannix

There are 14 ping pong balls placed inside what is basically an oversized water jug with air blowing through it to spin it around. And four of them are selected every 10 seconds. Now, the NBA goes to such great pains to ensure that there is no appearance of impropriety. The guy that is telling the ping pong ball selector when to draw from the bucket, he has his back turned to the whole proceeding.

Like he is standing there with his back to the drawing and has a stopwatch in his hand. And every 10 seconds, he will raise his hand. And that's when a ball is drawn. It is It would take a Houdini-esque act to be able to rig the NBA draft lottery. Now, that being said, if I was going a little bit off here, but if I was going to make any changes to the draft lottery,

Like he is standing there with his back to the drawing and has a stopwatch in his hand. And every 10 seconds, he will raise his hand. And that's when a ball is drawn. It is It would take a Houdini-esque act to be able to rig the NBA draft lottery. Now, that being said, if I was going a little bit off here, but if I was going to make any changes to the draft lottery,

Like he is standing there with his back to the drawing and has a stopwatch in his hand. And every 10 seconds, he will raise his hand. And that's when a ball is drawn. It is It would take a Houdini-esque act to be able to rig the NBA draft lottery. Now, that being said, if I was going a little bit off here, but if I was going to make any changes to the draft lottery,

I would probably increase the odds of the team with the worst record of getting that winning combination. Like 14% is where those bottom three teams, those are their odds of getting the four ball combination. That's not a very high number, right? Like we're all... sort of in shock that the Mavericks with the 1.8% chance of playing the top pick got it. And believe me, it was shocking in that room.

I would probably increase the odds of the team with the worst record of getting that winning combination. Like 14% is where those bottom three teams, those are their odds of getting the four ball combination. That's not a very high number, right? Like we're all... sort of in shock that the Mavericks with the 1.8% chance of playing the top pick got it. And believe me, it was shocking in that room.

I would probably increase the odds of the team with the worst record of getting that winning combination. Like 14% is where those bottom three teams, those are their odds of getting the four ball combination. That's not a very high number, right? Like we're all... sort of in shock that the Mavericks with the 1.8% chance of playing the top pick got it. And believe me, it was shocking in that room.

But a 14% chance isn't a great number either. I know why the NBA does it. They want to do everything they can to curb tanking, to stop the race to the bottom. But I think we've seen over these last couple of years, it doesn't really change that. For these bottom feeding teams, they're still going to try to lose out and get some of those best odds. If you're going to...

But a 14% chance isn't a great number either. I know why the NBA does it. They want to do everything they can to curb tanking, to stop the race to the bottom. But I think we've seen over these last couple of years, it doesn't really change that. For these bottom feeding teams, they're still going to try to lose out and get some of those best odds. If you're going to...

But a 14% chance isn't a great number either. I know why the NBA does it. They want to do everything they can to curb tanking, to stop the race to the bottom. But I think we've seen over these last couple of years, it doesn't really change that. For these bottom feeding teams, they're still going to try to lose out and get some of those best odds. If you're going to...

If you're going to help these teams rebuild, help these teams get back on top, I would probably bump those odds back up once again. It used to be 25%. Maybe I'd bump it to 20% for the team or two teams with the worst record. But to circle back, there is no way of rigging the draft lottery. There's nothing suspect about what the lottery is.

If you're going to help these teams rebuild, help these teams get back on top, I would probably bump those odds back up once again. It used to be 25%. Maybe I'd bump it to 20% for the team or two teams with the worst record. But to circle back, there is no way of rigging the draft lottery. There's nothing suspect about what the lottery is.

If you're going to help these teams rebuild, help these teams get back on top, I would probably bump those odds back up once again. It used to be 25%. Maybe I'd bump it to 20% for the team or two teams with the worst record. But to circle back, there is no way of rigging the draft lottery. There's nothing suspect about what the lottery is.

You have to. I want to get to that. But the NBA draft needs as many teams as possible to be relevant, right? Like they, in an ideal world, there's one season where all 30 teams up until the last week are competing for a play in spot. Like that is the NBA's fever dream. Um, But even if that's not going to happen, you want each one of these markets to have some hope, right?

You have to. I want to get to that. But the NBA draft needs as many teams as possible to be relevant, right? Like they, in an ideal world, there's one season where all 30 teams up until the last week are competing for a play in spot. Like that is the NBA's fever dream. Um, But even if that's not going to happen, you want each one of these markets to have some hope, right?

You have to. I want to get to that. But the NBA draft needs as many teams as possible to be relevant, right? Like they, in an ideal world, there's one season where all 30 teams up until the last week are competing for a play in spot. Like that is the NBA's fever dream. Um, But even if that's not going to happen, you want each one of these markets to have some hope, right?

Like a franchise player that they can build around. I'd argue Charlotte kind of already has that. They've got LaMelo. They've got Brandon Miller. They've got foundational pieces there that if they can just keep these guys on the floor... and make the right decisions around them. You might have that, but Washington does not have that. Utah definitely does not have that.

Like a franchise player that they can build around. I'd argue Charlotte kind of already has that. They've got LaMelo. They've got Brandon Miller. They've got foundational pieces there that if they can just keep these guys on the floor... and make the right decisions around them. You might have that, but Washington does not have that. Utah definitely does not have that.

Like a franchise player that they can build around. I'd argue Charlotte kind of already has that. They've got LaMelo. They've got Brandon Miller. They've got foundational pieces there that if they can just keep these guys on the floor... and make the right decisions around them. You might have that, but Washington does not have that. Utah definitely does not have that.

Those teams were desperate for some star power and they're going to wind up drafting fifth or six like that, that, that fifth and sixth, that doesn't work, um, That's not good for the NBA. I think getting those got those teams as tough as it was to watch them, you know, scuffle through the end of the season. I think having those teams get the two top picks makes the NBA better overall.