NBA Lottery 2019: Odds 76ers Win No.1 Pick, Chances Celtics Get Top-4 Selection In Draft

The Philadelphia 76ers and Boston Celtics are still licking their wounds after being eliminated in the second round of the playoffs. After falling short of expectations, there’s a small chance one of the two teams will have something to smile about Tuesday night.

The Sacramento Kings find themselves in the 2019 NBA Draft Lottery, but they won’t keep their selection. It will go to either Philadelphia or Boston because of multiple trades. The Celtics are overwhelming favorites to get the pick, though the odds are against it being very high.

Philadelphia will only get Sacramento’s pick if the Kings win the lottery. Otherwise, the selection belongs to Boston.

The Kings have a one percent chance to win the lottery. The 76ers would draft Zion Williamson with the No.1 overall pick, adding a potentially transcendent player to one of the NBA’s most-talented rosters.

That means Sacramento has a 99 percent chance to get a pick between No.2-No.14, which would go to Boston. The Celtics have a 1.1 percent chance to get the No.2 pick, a 1.2 percent chance to earn the No.3 pick and a 1.4 percent chance to get the No.4 selection.

If the Kings’ pick doesn’t fall within the top-four, it will automatically become the No.14 pick. That gives the Celtics a 95.3 percent chance to land the last pick in the lottery.

The 2019 offseason is expected to feature a ton of player movement, especially among the league’s top stars. If the 76ers or Celtics land one of the top picks in the first round, it might increase the chances of an All-Star changing teams this summer.

Boston is expected to make a push to trade for Anthony Davis. The Celtics arguably have the best package of assets to offer the New Orleans Pelicans, and it would only look better if Boston can add a top-four pick to a potential deal.

The Celtics will also get the Memphis Grizzlies’ pick if it doesn’t fall within the top-eight. There’s a 42.6 percent chance Boston will get Memphis’ first-rounder.

Philadelphia has big decisions to make this offseason with Jimmy Butler and Tobias Harris seeking max contracts in free agency. JJ Redick’s contract is also up.

What if the 76ers are able to have Williamson on a rookie contract? Would they be more likely to let Butler or Harris walk?

The 76ers had the No.1 overall pick in both 2016 and 2017, drafting Ben Simmons and Markelle Fultz.