The regular season may be over, but the Detroit Pistons are still losing. Entering the 2011 NBA Draft lottery on Tuesday night, the Pistons were slotted seventh, with roughly a 15 percent chance of moving into the top three. Instead, the teams directly above and below them advanced, pushing Detroit down one slot to No. 8.
The Cleveland Cavaliers, perhaps overdue for some good luck after watching LeBron James flee to Miami last summer, moved from eighth all the way to first using a draft pick originally belonging to the Los Angeles Clippers. (The Cavs will also pick fourth, using their own draft pick.) The Minnesota Timberwolves held their ground with the No. 2 pick, while the Utah Jazz, originally slated to select sixth, jumped into the No. 3 spot.
Here's the full NBA Draft order:
1. Cleveland Cavaliers (via LA Clippers)
2. Minnesota Timberwolves
3. Utah Jazz (via NJ Nets Nets)
4. Cleveland Cavaliers
5. Toronto Raptors
6. Washington Wizards
7. Sacramento Kings
8. Detroit Pistons
9. Charlotte Bobcats
10. Milwaukee Bucks
11. Golden State Warriors
12. Utah Jazz
13. Phoenix Suns
14. Houston Rockets
The Pistons will also draft in the second round with the 33rd overall pick.
Kyrie Irving and Derrick Williams have emerged as the consensus No. 1 and 2 picks, but there's little agreement after that. Might big men Enes Kanter or Bismack Biyombo fall? (DraftExpress thinks so.) Will point guard Brandon Knight slip, giving Joe Dumars the excuse to let Rodney Stuckey walk? Only time will tell.
Who's your early pick?