The Detroit Pistons have won the Draft Lottery and can vote in first place in the NBA Draft 2021. The Toronto Raptors and Cleveland Cavaliers jump into the top four, the Golden State Warriors take the Wolves pick.
The Pistons ended the regular season with the second worst record in the league (20-52) and, along with the Houston Rockets and Orlando Magic, had the best chances of the # 1 pick. Houston will pick in second place, followed by the Cleveland Cavaliers (# 3 pick) and Toronto Raptors (# 4 pick), both of whom made significant leaps forward. Orlando follows in fifth place in the 2021 draft, which will take place on July 29.
It is only for the third time in their franchise history that the Pistons have had the honor of being the # 1 pick. Most recently, Detroit was allowed to vote in first place 51 years ago, in 1970 the team from Motor City grabbed Bob Lanier, who ran for the franchise for nine and a half years and was later elected to the Hall of Fame. Three years earlier, the Pistons made Jimmy Walker the # 1 pick in the 1967 draft.
The young Pistons team is now getting another top talent, the favorite for the top pick is Cade Cunningham. “I’m thrilled,” Pistons GM Troy Weaver was quoted in an official statement following the Draft Lottery. “I look forward to moving our franchise forward. We have to do our job now and be ready.”
The Cavs jumped from fifth into the top three, the Raptors made an even bigger jump, from seventh to fourth in the draft order. Meanwhile, the Minnesota Timberwolves have to hand over their first round pick. The top 3 protected pick landed in seventh position and thus goes to the Golden State Warriors, whose own pick landed in 14th position. However, the Dubs’ hopes for at least a top 5 pick were not fulfilled.
The Chicago Bulls were also unlucky. After the trade for Nikola Vucevic at the trade deadline, Chicago hoped to jump into the top 4 to keep its own pick. However, this landed in eighth place and goes to Orlando Magic, which now has two top 10 picks in the 2021 draft.
A bit of disillusionment should also have spread in Oklahoma City. The Thunder had imagined chances of two top 5 picks. With their own, however, they slipped to position six and since Houston got the second pick, the Rockets are allowed to keep their top 4 protected pick.
NBA Draft 2021: The order in the first round
| place | Team |
| 1 | Detroit Pistons |
| 2 | Houston Rockets |
| 3 | Cleveland Cavaliers |
| 4 | Toronto Raptors |
| 5 | Orlando Magic |
| 6 | Oklahoma City Thunder |
| 7 | Golden State Warriors (of Minnesota) |
| 8 | Orlando Magic (from Chicago) |
| 9 | Sacramento Kings |
| 10 | New Orleans Pelicans |
| 11 | Charlotte Hornets |
| 12 | San antonio spurs |
| 13 | Indiana Pacers |
| 14 | Golden State Warriors |
| 15 | Washington Wizards |
| 16 | Oklahoma City Thunder (von Boston) |
| 17 | Memphis Grizzlies |
| 18 | Oklahoma City Thunder (von Miami) |
| 19 | New York Knicks |
| 20 | Atlanta Hawks |
| 21 | New York Knicks (from Dallas) |
| 22 | Los angeles lakers |
| 23 | Houston Rockets (from Portland) |
| 24 | Houston Rockets (von Milwaukee) |
| 25 | L.A. Clippers |
| 26 | Denver Nuggets |
| 27 | Brooklyn Nets |
| 28 | Philadelphia 76ers |
| 29 | Phoenix Suns |
| 30 | Utah Jazz |
NBA Draft: Who Will Be the # 1 Pick in 2021?
Many experts expect a very high-profile draft class, especially at the top, and several candidates apparently have the potential to become the No. 1 pick and thus have chances to succeed Anthony Edwards, who was ranked first by the Minnesota Timberwolves last year was pulled.
Nevertheless, a clear favorite for the number 1 pick has emerged in the past few months: Cunningham. The Oklahoma State Guard, who measures just over two meters, has a very high basketball IQ and an already well-developed all-around game.
Click here for the portrait of Cunningham with his strengths and weaknesses.
Laut Adrian Wojnarowski (ESPN) the 19-year-old plans to only meet with one team, the Pistons, in the pre-draft process. Other candidates for the top pick are Evan Mobley (center), Jalen Green (guard), Jalen Suggs (guard) and Jonathan Kuminga (forward).
