NBA Draft: Detroit Pistons gewinnen die Draft Lottery 2021

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.