Tank Watch: After the trade de...

Victor Wembanyama leads the Betclic Élite French league in points (22.2 per game), rebounds (9.5), and blocked shots (3.1). The 7-foot-4 center continues to develop areas of his game that will make him a danger in the NBA in less than a year, as seen by his recent win over Dijon, in which he helped his team come from behind and ended with 29 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 blocks.

A couple of teams are presently in strong position to sign Wembanyama in June thanks to moves made over the winter and at the trade deadline. The NBA Draft lottery takes place on May 16. Wembanyama has a 14% probability of joining the three teams with the lowest records.

1. Houston Rockets

Current record: 13-44

Odds to land No. 1 pick: 14%

The Rockets were very active during the trade deadline and initially brought in four veteran players they really didn't need, along with two future second-round picks. The front office waived John Wall and Danny Green and bought out Justin Holiday's contract; Frank Kaminsky logged his first minutes with the team in a loss to the 76ers on Monday.

Houston is in full rebuild mode with a promising young core of Jalen Green, Kevin Porter Jr. and Jabari Smith Jr. Green recently recorded his fourth career 40-point game in which he finished with 41 points in a loss to Sacramento earlier this month. Adding Wembanyama to this group next season would give them the defensive versatility they're missing and more length in the frontcourt alongside 6-foot-11 Alperen Sengun. The Rockets are one of the worst defensive teams in the NBA.

2. San Antonio Spurs

Current record: 14-44

Odds to land No. 1 pick: 14%

The Spurs might not have the worst record in the NBA (yet), but they are currently the worst team in the league, having lost their past 13 games. Gregg Popovich's squad ranks dead last in points per game, total assists, field goals made, field-goal percentage and 3-point percentage.

During the trade deadline, San Antonio waived Stanley Johnson and traded veterans Jakob Poeltl and Josh Richardson. In return, the Spurs received center Khem Birch, the Raptors' 2024 first-round pick (top-six protected) and their 2023/2024 second-round picks.

3. Detroit Pistons

Current record: 15-43

Odds to land No. 1 pick: 14%

Pistons fans knew where this season was headed when it was announced in November that Cade Cunningham would be out for the season due to a shin injury that required surgery. During the trade deadline, Detroit traded forward Saddiq Bey and acquired center James Wiseman in a four-team deal involving the Hawks, Warriors and Trail Blazers. Wiseman has been dealing with various injuries since he was selected as the No. 2 pick in 2020 but is still young and has potential as an elite rim-protector.

Rookie Jaden Ivey is showing promise as a long-term scorer and playmaker in the league, leading all rookies in assists (249) and sitting third in total points (821). A healthy Cunningham returning next season and possibly adding Wembanyama in the pick-and-roll and pick-and-pop situations would give the Pistons the final piece to the slow rebuild process. 

4. Charlotte Hornets

Current record: 16-43

Odds to land No. 1 pick: 12.5%

Last season, the Hornets finished with a winning record (43-39) for the first time since the 2015-16 season. This season, the Hornets have taken two steps back with point guard LaMelo Ball starting the year with an ankle injury and not much productivity coming from any other player on offense or defense outside of Ball and Terry Rozier, who is leading the team in points, assists and steals.

The Hornets had a positive night Feb. 13, with a win over the Hawks and Ball becoming the first player in franchise history to record a 3-pointer in 47 consecutive games (and counting). Ball is the youngest player in NBA history to record a streak of at least 35 games, and his 47-game stretch represents the third-longest active span in the NBA, trailing Portland’s Damian Lillard and Golden State's Steph Curry. 

5. Orlando Magic

Current record: 24-34

Odds to land No. 1 pick: 10.5%

Wembanyama has put up 437-plus points and 64-plus blocks in the first 20 games to start a season; the last NBA player to record similar numbers was Shaquille O'Neal in 2000. The Magic drafted O'Neal with the No. 1 overall pick in 1992, and it worked out pretty well for the franchise as he reached the playoffs in four consecutive seasons and took the Magic to the NBA Finals in 1995.

6. Indiana Pacers

Current record: 25-34

Odds to land No. 1 pick: 9%

Tyrese Haliburton and Bennedict Mathurin are two young stars in the making and have a ton of potential as an elite backcourt duo for the Pacers. Haliburton was named an NBA All-Star for the first time, and Mathurin was named to the NBA Rising Stars team and is one of the most productive rookies this year, averaging 17.2 points and 4.1 rebounds.

The Pacers have hit a slump since the new year, winning five of their past 22 games. The organization isn't in complete rebuild mode like a few other teams but needs another season or two to put everything together. Sitting at a 9% chance to land a generational-type talent such as Wembanyama isn't a bad spot to be in, either. Stranger things have happened on draft lottery night.

7. New Orleans Pelicans (via Lakers)

Current record: 30-28

Odds to land No. 1 pick: 7.5%

This is a unique draft pick for the Pelicans because it has nothing to do with how they finish this season. The pick is tied to the Anthony Davis trade and the Lakers. The worse the Lakers do this season, the higher the Pelicans' pick will be. LeBron James just passed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the all-time scoring leader, but the Lakers are still losing games, sitting at 26-32 and third-worst in the West behind the Rockets and Spurs.