Thunderous Intentions
Fansided

OKC Thunder gain second lottery pick, Clippers lose play-in

By Rylan Stiles

Paul George #13 of the Los Angeles Clippers reacts to a play during the fourth quarter against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Staples Center on November 01, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images)
Paul George #13 of the Los Angeles Clippers reacts to a play during the fourth quarter against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Staples Center on November 01, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

Celebrate OKC Thunder fans! The rebuild saw its first stroke of luck today! In the NBAPlay-In tournament, the L.A. Clippers fell to the Minnesota Timberwolves earlier this week. That set the stage for a meeting with the New Orleans Pelicans in L.A. on Friday night without Paul George. The Pelicans came back from down 13 to top the Clippers, 105-101. That result, caused the Clippers’ first-round pick to rise three spots, from 15 to 12, a selection owed to the Thunder without protections.

Why is this such a big deal? Well, at worst, the Thunder moved up three slots in the 2022 NBA Draft without giving up any extra assets, just by the Pelicans winning a play-in tournament contest that did not exist four seasons ago. This pick also sneaks into the NBA Draft Lottery, giving it a shot to leap up to the top overall pick in the 2022 Draft, at pick 15, the selection would not have a chance to move up and would be set in stone.

OKC Thunder earns an extra lottery selection in the 2022 NBA Draft as the L.A. Clippers fall to the New Orleans Pelicans in the NBA Play-in Tournament

The Oklahoma City Thunder now hold the projected 4th and 12th selection heading into the NBA Lottery. The Clippers pick has an 86.1 percent chance of landing at pick 12, a 6.7-percent chance of dropping to 13, and a 0.1-percent chance of falling to pick 14. On the flip side, the pick has a shot to leap into the top four with a 2.1-percent chance at pick four, a 1.9-percnet chance at the third overall selection, and a 1.7-percent shot at pick two. The pipedream is alive of the Clippers pick leaping to the first overall selection, having a 1.5-percent chance of happening. No matter where the Clippers pick ends up, it is owed to Oklahoma City.

The OKC Thunder selection has a 25.7-percent chance of being pick-six, 16.7-percent of being seventh. The Thunder have a 48.1-percent chance of their pick being in the top four, with a 12.5-percent chance at the first overall pick.

This is a great starting point for the Oklahoma City Thunder to continue to build around Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Josh Giddey, and the entire organization.

Next. Thunder to partake in two summer league sessions. dark

Home/Thunder News