The NBA draft lottery, an event that places the league’s 14 non-playoff teams into a lottery based on their regular-season record, is scheduled for 3 p.m. Sunday.
After a brief preshow on ESPN, NBA Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum will stroll across the stage and gradually reveal envelopes containing the logos of the teams that will pick from No. 14 to No. 5, then reveal the top four teams after a commercial break.
The Washington Wizards finished with the league’s worst record, which locked them into a top-five pick. They hold a 14% chance of landing the No. 1 pick — the best odds a team can have in the modern lottery system — and a combined 52.1% chance of landing a top-four selection.
The issue: Luck hasn’t been on the Wizards’ side.
The Wizards have moved up just three times in the 25 NBA draft lotteries they’ve participated in since the event began in 1985. Here’s how unlucky they’ve been:
Moved down: 11 times
Stayed put: 11 times
Moved up: 3 times
The Washington Wizards have moved up just three times in the 25 NBA draft lotteries they've participated in. Here's how unlucky they've been:
Moved down: 11 times Stayed put: 11 times Moved up: 3 times
The Wizards moved up two spots in 2001 before selecting Kwame Brown with the No. 1 pick. Ten years later, they moved up four spots to select John Wall with the top pick. And in 2013, they jumped five spots before selecting Otto Porter Jr. at No. 3.
But since selecting Porter Jr., Washington has moved down or stayed put in seven consecutive draft lotteries, most recently falling four spots to No. 6 in the 2026 NBA Draft after finishing with the league’s second-worst record.
The Wizards were also one lottery ball away from winning the No. 1 pick in 2019 (Zion Williamson), 2023 (Victor Wembanyama) and 2025 (Cooper Flagg). Washington owned six of the possible 11 remaining numbers in 2023 but lost out on Wemby to the San Antonio Spurs.
The San Antonio Spurs won the NBA Draft lottery and the right to select Victor Wembanyama with the ping pong ball combo 14, 5, 8, 2. After the first three numbers were picked, the Washington Wizards had 6 of the possible 11 remaining numbers (7, 9, 10, 12, 13) and barely missed.
Washington’s shaky lottery history hasn’t eased fans’ concerns surrounding Sunday’s event. And neither has the fate of the league’s worst team under the new lottery system, which began in 2019 and has yet to award the top pick to the team with the worst record.
2019 New York Knicks: 3rd
2020 Golden State Warriors: 2nd
2021 Houston Rockets: 2nd
2022 Houston Rockets: 3rd
2023 Detroit Pistons: 5th
2024 Detroit Pistons: 5th
2025 Utah Jazz: 5th
2026 Washington Wizards: ?
The last three teams to finish with the worst record have dropped to No. 5 — their worst possible result. It’s a reason Wizards General Manager Will Dawkins seemed resigned to his team’s fate during his end-of-season press conference.
“The priority on May 10 is just to get lucky … We’re already fortunate enough to add a top-five player in this draft. I feel very confident our staff will be able to pick the best player if we have five. I’m very comfortable at five.”
Washington successfully tanked to ensure they keep their top-eight protected pick and also secure a top-five selection in the 2026 draft. But that’s all they could do.
SAN ANTONIO, TX - APRIL 10: Max Christie #00 of the Dallas Mavericks dribbles the ball during the game against the San Antonio Spurs on April 10, 2026 at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas. 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photos by Michael Gonzales/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
If Cormac Karl “Max” Christie had put up the numbers he put up in 2025-26 in support of a team battling for playoff positioning down the stretch, Dallas Mavericks fans would be calling him one of the most underrated players in the NBA. He’d be a bona fide up-and-comer.
He shot a career-best 40.4% from 3-point range in his fifth year out of Michigan State and also put up a career-high mark of 12.3 points per game in his first full year with the Mavericks. He played in 77 games, starting 68 of them.
The numbers say he’s developing into a nice complementary player. The eye test does too, at times. On a roster pockmarked with holes, salary fillers and projects, why doesn’t Christie’s status as a core member moving forward feel more cemented? Why does the mention of his name and place in the organization evoke little more than a shrug and a “meh.”
In the absence of anything better, Christie seems… fine. Why is that?
Season in review
The most glaring reason may just be the collective numbness Mavs fans feel after the team’s 26-56 effort this year. It is harder than ever to feel feelings about basketball under present circumstances. If that’s the case, don’t let a bummer of a year sour you on one of the few guys on this roster who could be useful moving forward as the Mavericks start to build around Cooper Flagg.
But another part of the ambivalence that Christie engenders may be due to his tendency toward exaggerated streakiness.
He’s been streaky in the extreme since he arrived in February of last season as part of the trade that sent Luka Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers. He scored 15 or more points in each of the first seven games he played in a Mavericks uniform. He promptly followed that with a month of March that saw him average just over nine points per game on just 33% shooting from beyond the arc. He was even worse from the perimeter toward the end of last season.
Christie sustained a really good start to the season for more than a month this year. He was one of the best corner 3-point shooters in the league for most of the year, but his shooting above the break wasn’t nearly as consistent. He had a down month in December, as his minutes tapered off some, before bouncing back with 16.5 points per game in January. He seemed to lose his touch from outside down the stretch of the season, but found other ways to score in an offense that threw everything up against the wall in search of something that would stick alongside Flagg.
Would Christie’s efforts be more appreciated on a better team? Or would Christie be relegated to fewer minutes and an even smaller impact on a winner? He brought with him to Dallas a reputation as at least a plus defender, but he’s neither big nor bad enough to solve the point of attack. He can be part of a good defensive unit, but he’s not individually brilliant enough on that end of the floor to lead one.
Christie scored 26 points on 8-of-10 shooting from 3-point land and grabbed six rebounds in a 114-97 upset win at the New York Knicks on Jan. 19. In retrospect, that win and two or three similar flukes in the second half of the season likely were the difference between the Mavericks having the fifth-best odds in the Draft Lottery and eventually ending up with the eighth-best odds.
Still, it was a hell of a game for Christie, and it came amidst another one of his patented streaks. It was the second of what would be four straight games of more than 20 points in January. He made 20-of-38 from 3-point territory in those four games, but he just couldn’t miss in that head-scratcher at Madison Square Garden.
Contract Status
In the end, this team needs so much help, that it seems the best idea to keep Christie around, especially on his current contract, which will pay him just north of $8.2 million next season, before his player option ahead of 2027-28, with just under $9 million waiting. If he can take one more step in the right direction, that deal will look like a steal. He signed that four-year, $32-million deal while he was still with the Lakers.
Looking ahead
Ideally, Christie would be an effective scorer and able defender coming off the bench as the Mavericks rebuild. He was forced into a higher-profile role on a really dumb team in 2025-26, and the Mavericks may need all he can give them next year, depending on who Dallas lands with their first pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.
If he can improve his above-the-break 3-point shooting and show a little more on defense, he might grow into something akin to the guard version of Naji Marshall. Capable, lovable and something altogether more than “meh.”
The Lakers won early in the series despite struggling in those areas, before finding the right formula in a series-clinching Game 6 victory.
Now, they’re doubling down on the first emphasis ahead of their second round matchup against the Thunder, the defending NBA champions, with Game 1 set for Tuesday night at Paycom Center.
“The reality of their defense is that whatever moments we felt Houston pressuring, like the maximum amount of pressure they put on us, that’s OKC’s baseline,” Redick said. “That’s their core.”
How Austin Reaves and the fellow Lakers guards handle the Thunder ball pressure will play a huge factor in the outcome of this series. AP
The Thunder have had the league’s top-ranked defense for the last two seasons for multiple reasons.
They’ve been the best team in the league at protecting the rim from an accuracy standpoint for three seasons in a row.
In general, the closer opponents get to the basket, the stingier the Thunder’s defense gets.
But on the perimeter, they’re the most disruptive team in the league.
They were one of two teams, along with the Pistons, during the regular season to be top-five in deflections (league-most 20.7), steals (second-most with 9.7), blocked shots (second-most with 6.4) and turnovers forced (second-most with 16.7).
But unlike the Pistons, they don’t commit a lot of fouls, ranking No. 7 in personal fouls per game during the regular season compared to the Pistons being last in the league (No. 30).
“You’re talking about a team that’s top five in every category that’s disruptive-base: Steals, blocks, turnovers forced, all that stuff,” Redick said. “And they don’t foul. They somehow do all of that without fouling, which is one of the most remarkable things I think in NBA history.”
To take down the defending champions, LeBron James must be the best he’s ever been before. NBAE via Getty Images
Whether Redick was being sarcastic with his comment about the Thunder’s lack of fouling, that’s the challenge the Lakers will be facing during against the Thunder: Taking care of the ball and trying to create quality offense against a Thunder defense that has very few weaknesses.
This was one of the biggest struggles for the Lakers during the four games of their regular season series against the Thunder.
They committed 17.5 turnovers per game against the Thunder, including 20 in the Nov. 12 loss and 18 in the April 2 loss in Oklahoma City.
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The Thunder averaged 25 points off turnovers in those home wins over the Lakers, and 22.3 per game during the regular season series.
“You can’t hear yourself,” Ayton said of the environment at Paycom Center. “It’s definitely the “Thunder” for a reason. Their fans are thunderous. You can hear the floor shaking, the bleachers, you can’t even hear a play call. You gotta be super dialed in.”
Marcus Smart’s two-way ability will be another determining factor in the WCF semifinals against the Thunder. NBAE via Getty Images
Realistically, the Lakers can’t be expected to have a low turnover rate.
Even in their losses, the Thunder won the turnover battle by a decent margin, still recording 14.2 takeaways per game.
Their physicality forces and playstyle force errors.
And with the Lakers being a more frequent passing team with the absence of Luka Doncic, there will be openings for the Thunder to take advantage of.
The Lakers’ focus will be on limiting their mistakes.
Limiting the types of turnovers that feed the Thunder’s ability to go on quick runs that put the game out of reach.
“They’re really good at runs, and part of that is how good their defense is, their ability to create turnovers,” Redick said. “The live-ball turnovers really kill you. And they don’t get out in transition a ton, but when they do, they’re the best in the NBA in terms of [points per possession]. Limiting their runs, [Pacers coach] Rick Carlisle is the master of that, the quick timeout.
Redick added: “I’ve already told the staff, already told the players, I’ve got to be more diligent than I normally am. I like my timeouts, I like going into the fourth quarter with four timeouts, I like having two in the last 30 seconds. I don’t think you have the luxury of worrying about that because the games get away from you so quickly because of how explosive they are when they go on their runs and they do that to everybody. It’s what they do. Mitigating the 12-15-point runs, I think, is really important.”
SACRAMENTO, CA - NOVEMBER 9: Zach LaVine #8 and DeMar DeRozan #10 of the Sacramento Kings talk during the game against the Minnesota Timberwolves on November 9, 2025 at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, 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 Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The lottery drawing for the 2026 NBA Draft was always going to have massive stakes. A.J. Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, and Cameron Boozer have been hyped as an elite trio at the top of the class going back to their high school days, and their presence caused a tank-off for the ages this season. Add in a breakout freshman year from North Carolina forward Caleb Wilson, and the draft now offers major prizes at all four spots drawn in the lottery.
The tanking was so bad this season that the NBA is ready to push through lottery reform starting next year. The bottom three teams will suddenly have worse odds than those in the 4-10 range, and the floor for the worst teams has fallen out of the top-10. The odds are going to be flattened so much throughout the order that the results will feel completely random. Bad teams better cash in now on this lottery, because the chances of landing a top pick are going to be greatly diminished in the near future.
At this point, anyone who follows the draft closely has already run hundreds of lottery simulations. But who actually deserves lottery luck? We’re here to answer that. This is all very subjective, but there are still right answers. Here’s how the lottery will play out if there’s any justice in the drawing.
14. Charlotte Hornets
Odds at top-4 pick: 2.4%
The Hornets feel like the East’s team of the future after closing the season with the best net-rating in the league after Jan. 1. Landing a power forward who can defend and space the floor or a bigger rim protecting center would be ideal with this pick. Michigan’s Yaxel Lendeborg and Aday Mara would both be a great fit here, but if they’re both gone, I’d also like their teammate Morez Johnson Jr. in this spot.
13. Miami Heat
Odds at top-4 pick: 4.8%
The Heat never tank, and for that I was tempted to move them into the top-four. The odds are just extremely long for that to happen. If there’s a miracle coming Miami’s way, a Giannis Antetokounmpo trade feels more likely than a jump into the top-4.
The Mavs moved up from No. 11 in the lottery to the No. 1 overall pick last year for Cooper Flagg. Could the Warriors get the same bit of luck? Golden State has a convincing case for deserving some good luck after getting screwed over by Jimmy Butler’s torn ACL. It would be wonderful to see Steph Curry play meaningful basketball again before he retires, and a top pick could help him get there whether Golden State trades it or keeps it. I wouldn’t be shocked if the Warriors move up, and I think it would be kind of cool. They just missed the cut-off for the top-4 picks in these rankings.
10. Milwaukee Bucks
Odds at top-4 pick: 13.9%
The Bucks owe a pick swap to Atlanta, who also has the rights to New Orleans’ pick, so Milwaukee can only land in the top-4 if the Hawks are ahead of them. The Bucks moving up might be the most explosive possible outcome for the lottery that doesn’t involve OKC landing a top pick. Taylor Jenkins is the new head coach here, and Giannis trade rumors are likely to be kicking into high gear again this summer. Landing a top pick might make Giannis more likely to stay. I could see it happening.
9. Dallas Mavericks
Odds at top-4 pick: 29%
The Mavs cashed in on a 1.8 percent chance to land Cooper Flagg last year. Do they really deserve more lottery luck after that? This pick will be extremely important for Dallas regardless of where it ends up because the team doesn’t control its first round pick until 2031 after this year due to a series of deals made to build around Luka Doncic. Whoops. Flagg needs a co-star in the worst way, but getting super lucky two years in a row would feel like a little much.
8. Memphis Grizzlies
Odds at top-4 pick: 37.2%
The Grizzlies tore down the roster because they thought they were stuck in the middle, but it certainly feels like they sold high on both Desmond Bane and Jaren Jackson Jr. Memphis has a good young core already emerging led by Zach Edey and Cedric Coward, and I feel confident this front office will find more good players in this draft (they also own Phoenix’s pick at No. 16 this year) even if they don’t move up. The Grizzlies have put themselves in position to get lucky, and no one can hold it against them if they do.
7. Utah Jazz
Odds at top-4 pick: 45.2%
Utah was at the forefront of tanking shenanigans this year by resting their best players in the fourth quarter of close games. They were already fined for this, and their main goal was just to keep their pick inside of the top-8, otherwise they would have to send it to the Thunder (seriously). You can make a case that a lot of teams deserve lottery luck this year, but the Jazz aren’t one of them. The good news for Utah is that they should be a lot more competitive next year with a core of Lauri Markkanen, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Keyonte George. They can land a premium talent in this range like Illinois’ Keaton Wagler or Arizona’s Brayden Burries even if they don’t move up.
6. Brooklyn Nets
Odds at top-4 pick: 52.1%
The Nets toed the line of gunning for a top pick without outright tanking the way Utah and Washington did. Brooklyn hasn’t gotten any lottery luck since moving off its Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and James Harden core from a few years ago, and next season they don’t own their first-round pick because Houston has swap rights. The Nets have a great young head coach in Jordi Fernandez, and they have a very good veteran wing in his prime in Michael Porter Jr. who enjoyed a career renaissance under Fernandez this year. You can’t be mad if the Nets land in the top-4.
5. Washington Wizards
Odds at top-4 pick: 52.1%
Congrats to the Wizards: they were the worst team in the NBA with 17 wins, and because of that they can’t fall further than fifth in this draft. That still isn’t exactly a cause for celebration though because to me it feels like there’s a big drop off in talent between pick No. 4 and pick No. 5. It felt like Washington tanked hard and rested players at every opportunity, but they were never fined for it. It almost feels like the Wizards know they aren’t getting lucky after trading for Anthony Davis and Trae Young mid-season to accelerate their timeline. Getting a top pick would completely change Washington’s two-timelines approach, especially with rumors that AD doesn’t want to be there. The Wizards fell to their pick floor last year when they landed at No. 6, and I could see it happening again.
4. Chicago Bulls
Odds at top-4 pick: 20.3%
The Bulls have the fourth-worst cumulative record in the NBA over the last nine seasons, but they haven’t landed a top-3 pick over that time, and the only time they moved up they got stuck with Patrick Williams. Chicago actually has a little bit of hope right now after firing Arturas Karnisovas and landing the Portland Trail Blazers’ pick at No. 15 overall (which finally conveyed from the 2021 Lauri Markkanen trade), but ultimately they’ll need some lottery luck to actually start to build something sustainable. The Bulls have refused to tank for years, and spent the entirety of the AK era pushing for a play-in tournament bid to try to backdoor into the playoffs. This roster is pretty bleak beyond Matas Buzelis, Josh Giddey, and the hope that last year’s lottery pick Noa Essengue can provide something in his second season. If the league really wants to punish tanking, the Bulls deserve to move up into the top-4.
3. Atlanta Hawks
Odds at top-4 pick: 43.2%
The Hawks made a brilliant trade during the 2025 draft to earn New Orleans’ unprotected first-round pick, and they can add it into their swap rights with the Bucks for a convincing chance at moving up. The Hawks have a nice foundation in place and just stole a couple games from the Knicks in the first-round of the playoffs, and moving up in the lottery would make this a fantastic season for the franchise. The Hawks still feel like they’re searching for a No. 1 option even after Jalen Johnson’s rise this year, and landing a player like Darryn Peterson or A.J. Dybantsa could set them up with success for a long time. Atlanta absolutely whiffed on its No. 1 overall pick in 2024 with Zaccharie Risacher, but that front office has been fired, and the team has made a lot of good moves since then. It would be fun to see the Hawks move up.
2. Indiana Pacers
Odds at top-4 pick: 52.1%
The Pacers gave the NBA a thrill on their underdog run to the 2025 NBA Finals. Indiana was on the doorstep of a championship when Tyrese Haliburton tore his Achilles in Game 7, and the result was a lost season this year in his absence. The Pacers have more at stake in this lottery than any other team after trading their top-4 protected first-round draft pick for Ivica Zubac at the trade deadline. If this pick lands at No. 5 or lower, it belongs to the Clippers. It’s easy to imagine a world where Pacers immediately become the class of the East again next season with a healthy Haliburton, a full season of Zubac, and a top-4 pick like Dybantsa, Peterson, Boozer, or Wilson. I’d like to see them rewarded after putting together such an inspiring run before Haliburton’s injury.
1. Sacramento Kings
Odds at top-4 pick: 52.1%
Don’t lump the Kings in with all the other tankers this year. Sacramento badly wanted to win this season; they just failed spectacularly at doing so. A roster led by Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, Domantas Sabonis, and Russell Westbrook was ill-conceived from the start, but not because the Kings were trying to lose on purpose. Sacramento has been very bad for a very long time, and it feels even more painful right now after watching Haliburton and De’Aaron Fox go on to enjoy success with other teams after they were drafted in Sacramento. The Kings haven’t had the No. 1 overall pick since 1989 when they drafted Pervis Ellison despite finishing in the lottery 19 of the last 20 years. I think Sacramento fans deserve a little luck at this point. I’m also just worried the gap between Sacramento and the rest of the West is going to get even more stark in the coming years with the new lottery odds. In a season where tanking brought the NBA great shame, the Kings put forth a real effort every night. Plenty of other teams tried to manipulate the odds to their favor. The Kings were just flat out bad.
It’s in the form of a defense that encircles its opponents, obscuring their vision, sapping their energy, rendering them shells of themselves.
The Lakers have lost to the Thunder in all four regular-season meetings, by an average of 29.3 points per game. Now they face them in the second round of the playoffs.
LeBron James and the Lakers will have to pull off the impossible if they want to take down Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder.NBAE via Getty Images After a four-week absence due to a Grade 2 oblique strain, Austin Reaves returned in Game 5 and played a key role in the Game 6 win over the Houston Rockets.NBAE via Getty Images Deandre Ayton’s matchup with Chet Holmgren will go a long ways to determining the outcome of this series.Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images If Marcus Smart can turn back the clock with a vintage defensive performance against Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the Lakers odds will drastically improve for the upset.NBAE via Getty Images Lakers coach JJ Redick will face the biggest challenge of his coaching career in the WCF semifinals against the Thunder. AP
The question on everyone’s mind: Do they have a chance?
The Thunder have the top-rated defense in the NBA. The Lakers are missing the league’s leading scorer in Luka Doncic, who averaged 33.5 points per game before sustaining a strained hamstring on April 2.
That’s not exactly a recipe for success.
For the Lakers to stand a chance in this series, near-perfection is required.
They need to make their 3-point shots. They need to drastically reduce their turnovers. They need to control the pace.
The 41-year-old LeBron James, who’s the same age as both teams’ coaches in this series, needs to once again put the team on his shoulders and carry them as the first offensive option.
Austin Reaves, who returned in Game 5 of the first round from an oblique strain, needs to shake off his postseason struggles over the last two years and play the All-Star-caliber basketball he displayed for much of this season.
After leading the NBA in three-point percentage during the regular season, Kennard will need be a sharpshooter all series vs. the Thunder. NBAE via Getty Images
Luke Kennard, who led the league in 3-point shooting (44.8%), needs to be aggressive and hunt for his shot as though he were a star instead of deferring to his teammates.
Marcus Smart needs to channel his Defensive Player of the Year campaign in 2021-22, using all of his basketball IQ and energy to try to slow down reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Deandre Ayton needs to be DominAyton, the most dominant, forceful version of himself, not the guy whose intensity wavers.
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The Lakers aren’t just facing an uphill battle. They’re facing the Mt. Everest of opponents.
Lakers coach JJ Redick likened them to the Bulls of 1995-97 and Warriors of 2015-2017.
“The Thunder is one of the greatest teams ever in NBA history,” Redick said. “It’s just the reality. They’re that good.”
It’s easy to look at this series and say the Lakers have no chance. But somehow this team thrives under those desert-like, harsh conditions.
When they were counted out of their first-round playoff series against the Rockets without Doncic and Reaves, they responded by taking a 3-0 series lead.
When James was dismissed as being too old to carry a bunch of role players into the second round, he responded by outplaying guys nearly half his age.
When Ayton and Smart were viewed as has-beens who were slipping out of the league, they reminded us that the former was the No. 1 overall pick in 2018 and the latter was considered the league’s top defender.
Doncic’s absence sharpened everyone. It heightened their awareness. It made them become the best version of themselves.
“As much as we see that narrative and feel bad, you would think that it hurts us not having him, but it actually helps,” Smart said. “It forces guys to have to elevate their game to a whole other level.”
Each rotation player has met the challenge.
After securing the upset over the Rockets, LeBron James and the Lakers face a much more difficult task against the defending champs. AP
Against the Thunder, the tide must rise even more.
Smart didn’t hesitate when asked where guarding Gilgeous-Alexander ranks among his toughest challenges.
“No. 1,” he said.
Ayton’s task is just as difficult.
He has to try and outmatch the skills and physicality of Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein.
“He’s the person that changes our ceiling the most,” Redick said of Ayton.
The Thunder have no holes. No weaknesses. Their defense is notoriously suffocating. Offensively, they were rated seventh.
They’re a group of guys who like each other. Who play for each other. Who know how to win.
“You can respect the team,” Jake LaRavia said. “But you can’t fear them.”
The Lakers need to believe they belong.
They need to be hyper-focused. They need to star in their roles. They need to take their games to another level.
On Tuesday night, the New York Islanders and the other 15 teams that missed the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs will take part in the 2026 NHL Draft Lottery.
The Islanders, who won the 2025 NHL Draft Lottery with just 3.5% odds (they selected future Calder-Trophy winner Matthew Schaefer), finished this season with the 13th-best odds to win the lottery at 2.0%.
While the Islanders could win the lottery, that wouldn't mean they'd select first overall for a second straight draft. Per the rules, a lottery team can only move up at most 10 spots.
That means that the Islanders' "winning the lottery" would mean they'd select third overall. That would also mean that the Vancouver Canucks, who have the best odds at 18.5%, would win the lottery.
The Islanders will either pick third overall, 13th, 14th or 15th. The latter two occur if two teams behind them jump.
Here are the Islanders' lucky numbers, per team statistician Eric Hornick, with 20 total combinations that would give the Islanders the third pick:
1 2 5 6
1 2 5 11
1 3 4 13
1 5 7 9
1 5 11 12
1 6 7 11
2 3 7 13
2 3 12 13
2 9 12 13
2 12 13 14
3 6 13 14
3 8 12 14
3 10 11 14
4 5 8 11
4 5 8 14
4 6 9 14
5 7 10 14
6 11 13 14
7 9 13 14
8 9 10 14
As you can see, and as Hornick makes clear in his Draft Lottery "The Skinny", the number 14 is incredibly common, appearing 10 times.
Per Hornick, the odds of the Islanders winning the lottery at 3.5% and then 2.0% in consecutive years are 1 in 1,428.
So, you are saying there's a chance?
You can tune in and watch the 2026 NHL Draft Lottery live from NHL Network in Secaucus on ESPN, Sportsnet, and TVA at 7 PM ET.
Charania reports the Lakers are evaluating Doncic on a week-to-week basis, and he is currently on a "slow path" in his recovery from a Grade 2 hamstring strain that has kept him sidelined for the past month.
"He's doing more and more on the court," Charania said. "But right now, still not full-fledged running or full-contact workouts."
Is Luka Doncic playing tonight vs. Thunder?
No, he is out for Game 1. The timeline for his return is also still unclear, according to Charania.
Doncic was seen putting shots up during Lakers practice on Monday, May 4, but he has yet to progress to 3-on-3 or 5-on-5. Lakers head coach JJ Redick had no update for reporters.
Doncic has missed 11 games since straining his left hamstring against Oklahoma City on April 2. The Lakers have gone 7-4 in that span and ran out to a 3-0 lead in the first round of the playoffs against the Houston Rockets before winning the series in six games.
Luka Doncic, getting up shots Monday. When asked about his availability for Game 1, JJ Redick said, “no update.” pic.twitter.com/UZBw9x2E9R
The odds are stacked against Los Angeles yet again with a matchup against the defending NBA champion Thunder, who won a league-best 64 games in the regular season. The absence of Jalen Williams makes things slightly less lopsided, especially if the Lakers keep producing total team efforts with contributions from Marcus Smart, Luke Kennard, Deandre Ayton and Rui Hachimura.
Make no mistake, though: Doncic, who led the league in scoring with 33.5 points per game and finished third in assists with 8.3 per game, will be needed this series. It just remains to be seen when – or if – he'll be back in time.
Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault told reporters Monday, May 4 that Williams was "progressing according to plan," but declined to put a timeline on his return.
"We're not going to release that," Daigneault told reporters. "We’ll continue to let you guys know on a week-to-week basis."
Mark Daigneault on Jalen Williams: “He's progressing according to plan, I would say. In terms of timeline, we're not going to release that. We’ll continue to let you guys know on a week-to-week basis.” pic.twitter.com/zxM3HW8IjF
Here's what to know about Williams' status against the Lakers:
Is Jalen Williams playing tonight?
No. As stated above, Williams is listed as out for Game 1 on Tuesday and is considered week-to-week with a left hamstring strain.
The Thunder aren't putting a definitive timeline for his return publicly, but reporting by The Oklahoman, part of the USA TODAY Network, estimates that the usual recovery window for a grade 1 hamstring strain is 1-2 weeks. Williams went down on April 22, so that would theoretically put his return sometime around Games 3-5.
Williams exited in the third quarter when he went up for a layup attempt, grabbed his left hamstring after landing back on the court and has not played since.
The 2025-26 season has been a frustrating one for Williams, who established himself as an All-Star last season and was one of OKC's biggest contributors to their title run. But injuries have added up over the course of this season.
Williams underwent wrist surgery after the NBA Finals, which forced him to miss the start of the regular season. He later missed 49 games with a right hamstring strain.
Jalen Williams stats
Jalen Williams averaged 17.1 points and 5.5 assists per game this season, a major reason the team posted the best record in the league this season. Williams recorded 22 points and seven rebounds in Oklahoma City's Game 1 win over Phoenix and had 19 points in 23 minutes before his injury in Game 2.
Thunder vs. Lakers playoff schedule
All times Eastern
Game 1 at Oklahoma City: Tuesday, May 5 at 8:30 p.m. | NBC, Peacock
Game 2 at Oklahoma City: Thursday, May 7 at 9:30 p.m. | Amazon Prime Video
Game 3 at Los Angeles: Saturday, May 9 at 9:30 p.m. | ABC, Fubo
Game 4 at Los Angeles: Monday, May 11 at 10:30 p.m. | Amazon Prime Video
*Game 5 at Oklahoma City: Wednesday, May 13 | Time and TV TBD
*Game 6 at Los Angeles: Saturday, May 16 | Time and TV TBD
*Game 7 at Oklahoma City: Monday, May 18 | Time and TV TBD
After a day off in Tampa Bay on Monday, the Montreal Canadiens will practice in Florida before making their way to the state of New York for the first duel of their series with the Buffalo Sabres on Wednesday night.
While the Habs needed seven games to get past the Tampa Bay Lightning, the Sabres only needed six games to get past the Boston Bruins in their first-round series. Only two of their games were decided by a single goal, and only one needed extra time. Buffalo outscored Boston 20-12, while Montreal edged Tampa by a single goal,16-15. A single goal decided every single game in the Habs-Bolts series, and four games were decided in overtime.
Buffalo had the worst power play efficiency in the first round, only scoring one man-advantage marker in 24 opportunities for a 4.2% success rate. Meanwhile, the Canadiens had a 19.2% efficiency, scoring five goals on 26 opportunities, although three of their goals came in the first game. The Sabres fared much better on the penalty kill, only allowing two goals in 16 opportunities for 87.5%. As for the Canadiens, they gave up five power-play goals on 29 opportunities for a 82.8% efficiency.
In net, Jakub Dobes was between the posts for the Canadiens’ seven games, but the situation wasn’t as stable for the Sabres. Buffalo started the series with Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, who won the first game, but he was pulled from the second game after surrendering four goals on 20 shots. Alex Lyon took over, and Luukkonen rode the pine for the rest of the series. In five games, Lyon had a 1.14 goals-against average and a .955 save percentage.
Up front, Tage Thompson and Alex Tuch lead the charge with seven points each, followed by Peyton Krebs with six. The Sabres also benefited from a lot of offensive support from the blueline, with Bowen Byram notching five points, while Owen Power and Rasmus Dahlin both had four. Meanwhile, the Canadiens were led by Nick Suzuki and Lane Hutson, who had six points each, followed by Cole Caufield, Kaiden Guhle, Zachary Bolduc and Alexandre Texier, all of whom had four.
This series will mark the eighth time the Canadiens and the Sabres have met in the postseason and the first time since the Conference Semifinal in 1998. Back then, the Sabres had become the third team in NHL history to sweep the Canadiens. However, the Habs have won four of the seven series so far, and they also swept the Sabres once en route to winning the Stanley Cup in 1993.
The Sabres finished the season with 109 points, three more than the Canadiens, but the two teams split their four regular-season matchups. Montreal won 4-2 in October and at the end of January, while the Sabres won two games of their own, 5-3 and 4-2, in the span of a week in January. It’s worth noting that Dobes was in the net for both of the Canadiens’ wins, while Colton Ellis and Luukkonen backstopped the Sabres to their two wins.
While the Canadiens’ top line struggled to make a mark at even strength in the first round against Tampa Bay, they should fare better against Buffalo. Despite having a solid defense, the Sabres do not have the same kind of defensive forward as the Lightning does. Furthermore, in the four regular-season duels, Suzuki put up eight points while Caufield had six. Meanwhile, Thompson led the Sabres with seven points, followed by Noah Ostlund, who had four.
The series will kick off on Wednesday night in Buffalo, with Game 2 on Friday night. The series will then move to Montreal for Game 3, which will take place on Sunday, May 10, while Game 4 is scheduled for Tuesday, May 12.
Tuesday night in New Jersey, the NHL will host its annual Draft Lottery, where we find out the order of the first 16 picks for the 2026 NHL Entry Draft.
In what has been of the more surprising developments of the 2025-26 season, the back-to-back defending Stanley Cup Champion Florida Panthers are one of the teams in the thick of the lottery race.
An injury-plagued season unlike any seen before caused the Panthers to miss the playoffs for the first time in seven years, dropping a team that is expected to contend for the Cup again next season right in the thick of the mix for the number one overall selection.
When the dust settled on the regular season, Florida held the eighth-worst record in the NHL.
That gave the Panthers a 6% chance at landing the first overall selection.
The way the NHL Draft Lottery works is a very interesting process.
Here is how the NHL breaks it down:
“There are four balls numbered 1 to 14 and 1,001 possible four-number combinations. One combination is designated as a redraw (11, 12, 13, 14), allowing the NHL to divide by 1,000 among the 16 teams that did not make the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
“Based on the final NHL regular-season standings and the draft lottery odds determined by the Board of Governors, each team receives an allotment of randomly assigned four-number combinations. Essentially, the lower you finish, the more lottery tickets you receive.”
The NHL Draft Lottery actually consists of two separate draws; one for the first overall pick and one for the rest of the draft order.
A team can only move up a total of 10 spots, so only the bottom-11 teams are eligible to move up to first overall.
For Florida, that means they have the possibility of ending up with the first, second, eighth, ninth or tenth overall selection.
The Panthers will receive the first or second pick if they win either draw, but they’ll get bumped back to ninth or tenth if one or two teams below them win one or both of the draws.
In their history, Florida has actually won the Draft Lottery three times.
They won in both 2002 and 2003 but traded down each time. In 2014, Florida again won the Lottery and selected Aaron Ekblad with the first overall pick.
This year, whoever lands the top pick is expected to select elite forward Gavin McKenna, though Swedish star winger Ivar Stenberg is also under consideration by some for first overall.
Regardless of where Florida lands in the draft order, it will be interesting to see what the Panthers end up doing with their pick.
With Florida seemingly in win-now mode for the foreseeable future, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Panthers General Manager Bill Zito explore trading the high-end asset for a player or players who can contribute to the team immediately.
The NHL Draft Lottery will air at 7 p.m. Tuesday on ESPN.
Photo caption: Jun 27, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; A general view of the draft board after the first overall pick in the first round of the 2025 NHL Draft at Peacock Theater. (Kirby Lee-Imagn Images)
The National Hockey League is going to conduct a lottery on Tuesday evening to decide who will make the first and second overall picks in the 2026 NHL Draft.
Every pick after will be in reverse order of the standings, except for the teams that make it to the final four, who will pick 28th-31st. The Ottawa Senators will pick 32nd as a punishment handed down by the league for an infraction made involving a no-trade clause.
Ottawa originally had to forfeit one first-round pick from 2024, 2025, or 2026. Their pick was given back to them in 2026, but it must stay at 32 no matter what. It stems from a trade involving Evgenii Dadonov, where Ottawa wasn’t forthright about his no-trade list.
Blackhawks Odds
The Chicago Blackhawks finished in 31st place out of 32. That means they have the second-best odds of winning the lottery and securing the first overall pick at 13.5 percent. They have a 14.1 percent chance of winning the second lottery, which will retain the second overall pick for them.
There is a 30.7 percent chance they fall one spot to third, and a 41.7 percent chance they fall two spots to fourth. They can go no further down than that. No matter what, this will be the fourth straight year that they make a top-four draft pick.
Top Prospects
Gavin McKenna and Ivar Stenberg are the consensus top two picks in the drafts. Both of them are forwards who bring a different element to their game. Each of them will be part of their new team’s core going forward.
In the tier below them is another forward in Caleb Malhotra. There are also three defensemen, Keaton Verhoeff, Carson Carels, and Chase Reid, who are all possible top-five picks. There are always going to be varying opinions, but these young men stick out as the likely top prospects unless someone reaches.
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The chance for the Nashville Predators to land the No. 1 overall pick is slim, but not zero.
Entering Tuesday night's NHL Draft Lottery, which will be broadcast at 6 p.m. CST on ESPN, the Predators have a 3.5% chance to land the coveted first selection in the NHL Draft on June 26.
The winner will more than likely select Canadian phenom Gavin McKenna, who has held the attention of the hockey world for nearly two seasons now.
After amassing 129 points (41 goals and 88 assists) in 56 games with the Medicine Hat Tigers during the 2024-25 season, McKenna made the switch to the NCAA this season, playing with Penn State.
Taking a slight dip in production, McKenna still recorded 51 points (15 goals and 36 assists) in 35 games, helping the Nittany Lions reach NCAA Regional Semifinals.
The jump from the 10th-best odds to the No. 1 overall selection has happened before, as the New York Islanders had the same exact odds as the Predators do this season at 3.5% going into the 2025 NHL Draft Lottery.
So you're saying there's a chance 👀
Join us for our 2026 NHL Draft Lottery party on Tuesday at the BetMGM Sports Lounge, where you can play your luck at winning exclusive #Preds prizes! Party starts at 5:30pm CT. pic.twitter.com/lvvbvKUPwt
They'd win and select defenseman Matthew Schaefer, who is a favorite to win the Calder Trophy this season.
If the Predators don't wind up with the No. 1 overall pick, their highest odds are to stay at 10th, with a 73.3% chance of selecting there.
The Vancouver Canucks currently have the best odds of landing the No. 1 overall pick at 25.5%, followed by the Chicago Blackhawks with 13.5%.
If the Predators were to win the lottery, it'd be the first time in franchise history they'd select at first overall and the fourth time they've selected inside the top 5. Those previous top-five picks are David Legwand (2nd overall in 1998), Seth Jones (4th overall in 2013), and Brady Martin (5th overall in 2025).
The Nashville Predators have 35 out of 1,000 unique four-digit number combinations going into this lottery. If one of these combinations is selected, they will win the lottery.
PITTSBURGH, PA - APRIL 27: Pittsburgh Penguins center Evgeni Malkin (71) wait on the bench to take a shift during the second period in Game Five of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs First Round between the Philadelphia Flyers and the Pittsburgh Penguins on April 27, 2026, at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, PA. (Photo by Jeanine Leech/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Whatever decision that Kyle Dubas and the Penguins make about the status of Evgeni Malkin could be the most important or telling one of the whole offseason. Bring back the 40-year old player and that sets a pretty clear course to try and make the 2026-27 season look a lot like this past year where a scrappy underdog team will be led by legends and try to see how far they can go. If the team decides against bringing Malkin back, that could signal a change in direction and possibly more of a rebuild mode to get younger and focus on the longer-term.
Two recent takes caught our eye; a case for why the Penguins should move on by Noah Hiles at the PG and the opposite side of the coin by Joe Starkey at the Trib. Let’s see who makes a better case.
The fact that he is no longer vintage Malkin hardly makes him a liability. He’s also one of the best bargains in the NHL. His cap hit of $6.1 million ranked a laughable 169th among all players and 98th among forwards, according to spotrac.com.
To review:
Cap hit among forwards: 98th
Points per game among all players: 22nd.
The Penguins have had plenty of stars. Malkin is a franchise legend — one of the four greatest Penguins of all-time (third on my list, behind Mario Lemieux and Crosby). His number will surely be retired. He is beloved inside and outside of the locker room. He can still play. He won’t break the bank.
And quite conveniently, he just put a definitive timeline on how long he wants to play. In speaking with reporters at locker-cleanout day Friday, Malkin said, “I want to play one more year in the NHL.”
There you have it. One more year. Surely, you don’t want to see him spend that year in a Washington Capitals jersey (or worse), do you?
…
Meanwhile, so much of his career has been spent in Crosby’s shadow, which has been largely a blessing because it took the focus off Malkin. Next year, however, much of the focus should be on Malkin. And it should mean something, too, that Crosby wants him back.
…
What’s the worst that can happen? Malkin underperforms? His one-year cap hit of $6 million or so won’t exactly bankrupt the franchise. It’ll be OK.
Hopefully, Dubas does the right thing here. If not, the Hoffman family should, assuming the sale goes through.
The great Evgeni Malkin deserves a farewell tour.
Most arguments for Malkin return can center around either sentimentality or the practical nature that he had a very strong season last year. It makes a lot of sense, the Pens almost surely can get Malkin for relatively cheap next year. It would be difficult to find a 50+ point player for a one-year commitment at like $4-6 million dollars. (Pittsburgh did find one such player in Anthony Mantha, but that kind of output is much more the exception than the rule for that class of player).
Starkey lays out a good case. Players who have given 20 years, 1400+ points, two scoring titles, an MVP and three Stanley Cups to a franchise deserve to be treated with respect and deference. If that player wants to play for one more year, maybe they should get that, right?
Not so according to the other take.
Parting ways with Evgeni Malkin won’t be easy for anyone. For fans and players alike, it will be tough to see him in another uniform. Yet, when considering everything at hand, it seems like the best option.
It’s not unreasonable to believe he can replicate similar production next year. If the Penguins are able to retain Malkin while also adding another younger, more dynamic scorer, perhaps keeping him makes sense. His veteran prowess provides value, and he seems open toward embracing a lesser role.
But even still, it’s worth wondering if the money required to bring Malkin back couldn’t be better spent elsewhere.
Should Dubas want to drastically revamp the roster, this offseason is the time for that to happen
…
The Penguins would be better off letting the 2025-26 season be Malkin’s last in Pittsburgh. As someone who grew up in the area, who fell in love with sports when Malkin was in the thick of his prime, I’m well aware that this opinion will rub some the wrong way.
I understand the connection he holds with the fans. I myself still get goosebumps when hearing the crowd’s roar as he, the last player out of the room, makes his way to the ice just before the national anthem. He’s provided countless happy memories for Penguins fans, and it’s not wrong to hope for more.
However, when it comes to Malkin’s departure, it would be better to be a year early than a year late. The Penguins are already stuck with one franchise hero that’s well past his prime. Kris Letang has become more of a liability than an asset. It’s only a matter of time before Malkin’s game also plummets to that level, and the Penguins can’t afford to have two roster spots filled due to nostalgia.
The problems with this take are two-fold. For starters, the Penguins enter the offseason with about $45 million in cap space. Resigning Malkin won’t or shouldn’t hinder the Pens from revamping the roster as much as they are able to do so. The team had between $11-13 million cap space in 2025-26, they’re very likely to have at least that much room for 2026-27 as well. Whether or not they keep or part ways with Malkin, the financial aspect carries minimum significance.
The other issue is one of projection that Malkin’s game will ‘plummet’. 2026-27 might not be a ‘year too late’ it could potentially be right on time for a final campaign. Malkin was the team’s fifth leading scorer, and tied with Sidney Crosby for first in points per game. Those numbers would likely decline somewhat next season, though it’s an unsupported leap to project disaster.
Anyone is allowed a preference and an opinion, though it’s only the stance of Dubas that counts. It remains to be seen which path he will take. At breakdown day Malkin didn’t appear very confident he would be back next season, which indicates that Dubas hasn’t become particularly serious yet in reaching out to take care of the contract. On the whole, Dubas surely wants to get younger and steer the Penguins into their next era. However, 12 months ago it was looking like young players such as Rutger McGroarty and Ville Koivunen would be ready for featured roles in the NHL in 2026-27. That no longer appears to be the case, the Pens got a big surprise from Ben Kindel’s emergence but they don’t really have a major youth movement impending on the NHL horizon.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - OCTOBER 25: Tobias Harris #12 and Cade Cunningham #2 of the Detroit Pistons battle Dean Wade #32 of the Cleveland Cavaliers for a rebound during the second half at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse on October 25, 2024 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Cavaliers defeated the Pistons 113-101. 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 Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers didn’t assemble the highest-paid roster in the league just to get out of the first round.
“We haven’t done anything,” Donovan Mitchell said after his team closed out the Toronto Raptors in seven games. “It’s just the first round.”
The Cavs will have their hands full against a 60-win Detroit Pistons team that proved to be one of the best defenses in the league all season. That said, there’s a path to winning the series and advancing to the Eastern Conference Finals. Let’s get into the keys for Game 1.
1. Reestablish the pick-and-roll
Both Mitchell and James Harden struggled to shake free of Toronto’s perimeter defenders. The top-locking defensive strategy, coupled with their ability to switch every screen and not be at a distinct disadvantage because of it, made it difficult for them to establish a consistent scoring rhythm. At least not the kind we’re used to seeing.
Detroit is a better statistical and traditional defense than Toronto. They were the second-best unit in the league for a reason. Their ability to run teams off the three-point line, funnel them inside, and then provide tough contests from there made them difficult for teams to crack, especially with two imposing centers in Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart.
At the same time, they aren’t a switch-heavy team like the Raptors, which does present some additional openings for the Cavs to attack mismatches.
Cleveland’s best offense this year has been when they can create advantages off the pick-and-roll. They should be able to get into those actions much easier, given Detroit’s drop coverage.
2. Exploiting the weak links
The Raptors weren’t the most talented team in the playoffs, but there aren’t many groups that had as many passable two-way players. There really weren’t any weak links to attack on offense or ignore completely on defense.
The Pistons have more talent, but there’s more guys who aren’t high impact on both sides of the ball.
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Duncan Robinson is a great shooter, but he’s someone that the guards can go after in a matchup much easier than any of Toronto’s rotation players. On the other end, Ausar Thompson is a phenomenal defender, but you can cheat off him defensively due to his lack of playmaking and shooting.
The Cavs also have several players that teams can take advantage of as well. Opponents mostly ignore Dean Wade on offense and attack guys like Mitchell and Harden on the other end.
The team that can hide its weaker players and exploit their opponents could come away with the win.
3. Find the three-point shot
The Cavs won their first-round series without ever getting the three-ball going. They shot just 34.1% from beyond the arc throughout the series. This included shooting below 30% in three games, including the Game 7 victory.
Cleveland isn’t the outside-shooting juggernaut they were at times last year, but they’re still one of the better shooting teams in the league as they connected on 36% of their shots in the regular season.
This is an advantage they should have over Detroit. The Pistons aren’t a high-volume three-point shooting team, and they don’t connect on them particularly well. That came through repeatedly in their first-round victory over the Orlando Magic, even in some of their wins.
4. Win the possession game
Head coach Kenny Atkinson has preached the need to grab rebounds and limit turnovers all season. The Cavs struggled at times throughout their first-round series with both, but closed the Raptors out in Game 7 by winning this category by nine.
That same focus will be needed against the Pistons.
Cade Cunningham was at his worst in the first round when he was turning the ball over. He averaged 5.9 giveaways per game against Orlando. This includes averaging 6.7 in Detroit’s three losses.
As a team, the Pistons aren’t great at protecting the ball. They finished the regular season 22nd in turnover percentage (15%) as an offense. However, what they made up for that in other areas, particularly in offensive rebounding and forcing turnovers of their own.
Detroit was second in offensive rebounding percentage in the regular season. They grabbed 34.3% of their missed shots.
On the other end, the Pistons had the highest turnover percentage in the league as a defense. They turned opponents over on 16.8% of their possessions.
There are areas the Cavs can attack here. They could be disruptive on the offensive glass and force Cunningham into turnovers. But they have to be careful not to fall victim to those same issues themselves.
5. Can Dean Wade make things difficult for Cade Cunningham?
Stopping a player as good as Cunningham is a complete team effort, but you’d expect Wade to draw the primary assignment on the superstar guard.
Wade has been the team’s best wing defender all season. He did an excellent job of taking Brandon Ingram away at the beginning of the series against Toronto and shifted onto Barnes as the series progressed.
Cunningham struggled against Orlando when he was guarded by Franz Wagner. Wagner’s size and strength presented real issues. It wasn’t until a calf strain forced Wagner out of the lineup that Cunningham really got going.
Wade has some of those same qualities. He has good length, quickness, and strength. Wade has continually shown he’s comfortable defending on the perimeter against an opponent’s primary offensive engine.
The key to this will likely come down to the other end of the court. For Wade’s defense to be its most effective, his offense needs to be good enough to justify staying on the court. That was an issue at times in the first round as Wade’s outside shot left him for stretches.
Outside of Wade, the Cavs don’t have many good options to turn to for guarding Cunningham. Max Strus has shown a willingness to battle with bigger wings, but he doesn’t have the strength or size to present the same issues for Cunningham. Jaylon Tyson has had stretches of looking like that guy, but it’s fair to question whether he’s ready for such a big assignment.
Cunningham is the head of the snake. There’s no situation where the Pistons get past the Cavs if he isn’t playing at an All-NBA level. That puts a premium on Wade and the rest of the team’s defense against Cunningham.
