Ridiculous proposed NBA rule may absolutely screw Spurs out of future no. 1 pick
Air Alamo • • sports
Key Points:
- The San Antonio Spurs, who finished with the second-best NBA record this season, own a 2031 first-round pick swap from the Sacramento Kings, a team that has rarely made the playoffs in recent years.
- Proposed changes to the NBA draft lottery would penalize the three worst teams and give equal top-pick odds to teams finishing 4th through 10th, introducing more volatility to the Kings' pick value.
- Under the new rules, if the Kings finish between 4th and 10th worst, the Spurs could have equal odds for the number one overall pick, whereas previously only the three worst teams had top odds.
- Although the new system lowers the odds of a top pick from 14.1% to 8% for teams in the 4-10 range, the pick swap could still be highly valuable if the Kings improve and the Spurs remain contenders.
- The full impact of these changes is uncertain since the pick is five years away, but the Spurs' ability to move up in the draft may be affected, depending on the Kings' future performance and the revised lottery rules.