The 2024-25 NBA regular season has come to a close, signaling the end for the worst teams in the league until the next season begins in six months. While the top teams continue to compete for the championship, the focus for others has shifted to the upcoming NBA Draft in June. With the conclusion of the regular season, the draft order has been mostly set, providing clarity on which teams will have the opportunity to make their selections.
Unlike picks 15-30, which are determined by record, picks 1-14 are decided through a lottery system. The 10 teams that did not make the postseason now know their odds for the draft lottery. However, there is still some uncertainty in the draft order, as the final positions will be determined by the results of the Play-In Tournament involving the last four playoff contenders.
Following the lottery locks and the Play-In results, the rest of the draft order will be determined based on the final standings of the playoff teams. Any ties in the bracket will be resolved through a random drawing prior to the lottery. As of now, here is the 2025 NBA Draft order, with some picks still pending finalization.
*pick belongs to 76ers if 1-6, Thunder if 7-30
**pick belongs to Kings if 1-12, Hawks if 13-30
***still to be determined based on Play-In results
When is the NBA Draft Lottery?
The 2025 NBA Draft Lottery is scheduled for May 12, where the fate of top prospects like Cooper Flagg and Dylan Harper will be determined. While a significant portion of the draft order is already set, the middle positions will be finalized this week through the Play-In Tournament. This tournament will decide which teams secure the last playoff spots and which teams will receive higher draft picks.
Notably, most playoff teams do not possess their own picks, as many have traded them for veteran players in recent years. This trend reflects the competitive nature of the current NBA landscape, where teams are willing to sacrifice future assets for immediate success.
Overall, the upcoming draft is expected to see a high level of pick swaps, with more than half of the first-round selections potentially changing hands before the draft officially begins. With additional trades likely during the draft itself, the final draft order may look significantly different from the current standings.
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