NBA Draft Lottery: Pelicans’ odds and what to watch for

Pelicans lottery odds: 8 is the magic number

The NBA Draft Lottery is filled with drama, but the Pelicans won’t have to wait too long to find out whether they have a shot at a dramatic leap.

New Orleans should hope things go to scratch from picks 14-11 and that the Los Angeles Lakers’ name isn’t called at pick 11, as from there we know for sure the Pelicans are getting a pick.

If the Pels aren’t called at pick 10, 9, or 8, then it’s time to start celebrating in New Orleans, as it means that they have jumped into the top-4.

From there everything is gravy, as the Pels would have already bucked the odds and would have the chance to add another impact talent.

This is a draft that most experts agree has three guys (Chet Holmgren, Jabari Smith and Paolo Banchero) who are a notch above the rest, but there are still some very good players behind them, so the Pelicans would be ecstatic if they jumped into the top-4.

The NBA Draft Lottery could be the icing on the cake of a season that saw a young Pelicans’ team make the playoffs without Zion, especially if the Pels jump into the top-4.