We think of the NBA Draft Lottery, first and foremost, as a way for the league's poor and downtrodden franchises to replenish their ranks and take the first steps toward meaningful winning years down the line.

LaMelo Ball has five NBA seasons under his belt, and only one of them produced a winning record. Even more worrisome for the Hornets, their win rate is trapped in a three-year spiral that has taken it to a dismal .232.

Since 1985, the NBA has used a lottery-style process to determine the first several picks of the league's annual draft. Since the 2019 NBA draft, the format has ensured that the team that finished the regular season with the worst record receives no lower than the fifth pick in that summer's draft.