Pelicans earn No. 7 pick in draft lottery

By Matt Moscona

The NBA Draft Lottery was unkind to the New Orleans Pelicans. After finishing the season with the fourth-worst record, New Orleans earned the seventh selection in this summer’s draft.

The Pelicans had a 12.5 percent chance to land the No. 1 selection in a draft where Duke star Cooper Flagg is the crowned jewel.

New Orleans finished the season 21-61, the team’s worst record since the 2004-05 team won 18 games. The team fired general manager David Griffin after the season and replaced him with Joe Dumars.

The season was defined by injures to key players that derailed any hopes of a return to the playoffs.

Zion Williamson played in just 30 games while key offseason acquisition Dejounte Murray played in  only 31. Injuries also limited Trey Murphy, Herb Jones and Jose Alvarado. The Pelicans also traded former All Star Brandon Ingram to Toronto at the trade deadline.

Dallas won the lottery just a few months after trading star Luka Doncic to the Lakers. The lottery results are below:

1. Dallas
2. San Antonio
3. Philadelphia
4. Charlotte
5. Utah
6. Washington
7. New Orleans
8. Brooklyn
9. Toronto
10. Houston
11. Portland
12. Chicago
13. Atlanta
14. San Antonio