4 Draft Lottery results that could totally change the Spurs' future

With the conclusion of the 2024 NBA Draft Lottery on Sunday, we now know exactly where all 14 picks in the lottery will be made. For the San Antonio Spurs, it was just about as close to a dream scenario as one could concoct.

Heading into the lottery with two top-14 picks, the Spurs were waiting with baited breath to see where both picks would land. The pick they previously acquired from the Toronto Raptors had set protections, and would have ended up back with the Raptors had it landed in the top six.

But when the pick landed at eighth, it officially stayed with San Antonio. Other than it landing at seventh, this was the best possible outcome. Additionally, the Spurs' own pick moved up into the top four, despite having just the fifth-best odds of getting a top-four pick. Now, San Antonio will have two top-eight picks to do business with in this year's draft.

We may not always think of it this way, but the results of the lottery have the ability to be the first domino in all kinds of later developments. There were certainly several occurrences on Draft Lottery day Sunday with the potential to affect the Spurs' short and long-term future.

Spurs moving up yet again

The first of which was of course San Antonio getting lucky with their own picks. One year after jumping up to earn the number one pick in 2023 and of course the right to draft the generational Victor Wembanyama, the Spurs saw yet another jump in the lottery.

With a top-four pick now in their possession, the Spurs will have a decision to make. If they have a prospect they really want to take a swing at, only three other teams will have a chance to draft that player first. If San Antonio is not totally sold on any one guy, they can look into dealing the pick for more of a win-now player.

Division rival Rockets moving up again

In 2023, the Rockets got bad lottery luck and moved down to fourth after having a high chance of getting the top spot. This time around, they jumped up into the top three, and will be picking one spot ahead of their bitter cross-state rivals.

Houston is still (rightfully) upset about missing out on Wemby, as well as his reaction to not being drafted by the Rockets. Would Houston be so petty as to take a player they suspect San Antonio wants, just to spoil their party? Either way, these two teams picking back-to-back is sure to produce some interesting results.

Hawks getting top pick changes their plans

The biggest surprise of the day was the Atlanta Hawks jumping all the way up to earn the number one pick in this year's draft. For a team that already had an uncertain path forward this offseason, things just got that much crazier.

For weeks, there have been rumors that the Hawks could be looking to trade either Trae Young or Dejounte Murray. They can now offer a number one overall pick in any potential trade package, which could significantly alter their ability to land a potential big-name star. Alternatively, they could keep the pick and level up by adding a talent like an Alex Sarr.

San Antonio has been mentioned multiple times as a potential trade partner for Atlanta in this process. The Hawks getting such a highly-valued asset as the top pick in the draft has potential to increase the likelihood a deal gets done between the two teams.

Hornets moving down lowers likelihood Spurs get their pick

The Hornets entered the lottery with the third-best odds, and dropped all the way down to the sixth pick. They could not mathematically drop any lower than seventh, so this was the second-worst case scenario for them.

This matters to the Spurs because they currently own Charlotte's 2025 first-round pick. If the Hornets miss the playoffs again next season, that pick will become two second-round picks rather than a first. This could mean San Antonio ends up losing one of their four 2025 first-rounders.