2022 NBA Draft Lottery Biggest Losers

Damian Lillard

After struggling through the early part of the 2021-22 NBA season, Damian Lillard underwent surgery and missed the majority of a season for the first time in his career. He had to watch the Portland Trail Blazers deploy some truly depressing lineups in a historically blatant tank job.

Lillard helplessly watched as the team’s on-stage representative as the Portland Trail Blazers fell back in the draft. Portland landed just the seventh-overall selection despite entering with the sixth-best lottery odds and a 37.2 percent chance to land a top-four pick.

Dame had to say goodbye to his best friend, CJ McCollum, and most of his veteran support players just to land the seventh-overall pick. Poor guy.

Whoever Sacramento Kings Draft

The Sacramento Kings lucked into the steal of the 2020 draft when they were still able to grab Tyrese Haliburton with the 12th-overall pick.

Despite a stellar year and a half start to his career, the Kings sacrificed him in return for an older, possibly less talented player in Domantas Sabonis in hopes of making the playoffs this past season.

LATEST NBA NEWS & DRAFT RUMORS: 2022 NBA Mock Draft: Early Look At Full First-Round Projections

It didn’t go the way they expected, but they were rewarded with a top-four selection. Nearly all of the Kings’ top draft picks in the past have failed to pan out in Sacramento. Here’s hoping it will be different for whoever they take in this year’s draft.

Or better yet, perhaps they trade the pick for another win-now piece and spare a young prospect the tragedy that is beginning their carer in Sacramento