The New Orleans Pelicans did not have Lady Luck on its side for the second consecutive year on Thursday. After jumping up to the top pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, the Pelicans stayed put in Thursday’s NBA Draft Lottery.
Coming in with the 13th-best odds and just a 1.2% chance at the No. 1 pick and a 5.7% chance at a top-four pick, the team stayed in its original spot and will pick 13th in the 2020 NBA Draft.
The Minnesota Timberwolves moved up to the top spot after coming in with the third-best odds of the No. 1 pick. Golden State dropped one spot to second, Charlotte will pick third and the Bulls will pick fourth.
The big movers on the night included the Charlotte Hornets and Chicago Bulls jumping into the top four after having the eighth- and seventh-best odds coming into the night.
The Pelicans have picked 13th just once in its history, selecting Julian Wright 13th overall in the 2007 NBA Draft. This year marks the first time since 2012 and 2013 that the team will have lottery picks in successive years.
The 2020 NBA Draft is currently slated to take place on October 15, though a piece from ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski on Thursday suggested the date could be moved back along with the start of free agency.
