The Duke freshman has been making a reputation for himself this faculty season, and as NBA groups begin to hit the center of their season, groups are totally embracing tanking for the prospect to draft what could possibly be a franchise star.
Listed here are the highest 5 groups within the Cooper Flagg sweepstakes (all information as of Wednesday):
Brooklyn Nets (14-27)
The aforementioned Nets are exhibiting the remainder of the league easy methods to really tank. It is not simply the 59-point losses, it is also taking up any unhealthy contract (taking a look at you Ben Simmons and D’Angelo Russell) and buying and selling away any expertise that they had for future property, similar to flipping Dorian Finney-Smith and Shake Milton to the Lakers simply to tackle Russell’s contract and three future second-round picks.
Whereas the Nets’ 14 wins are a good bit greater than the opposite groups on this listing, a second-half season swoon might see Flagg land within the Large Apple.
Utah Jazz (10-29)
Since buying and selling away Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert in 2022, the Jazz are wanting down the barrel of their third consecutive shedding season. Whereas the Jazz’s roster is not utterly devoid of expertise — similar to former All-Star Lauri Markkanen — the group is clearly in rebuild mode. Proficient veterans like Jordan Clarkson and John Collins have missed nearly half of Utah’s video games this yr and its present roster is made up nearly solely of younger gamers who aren’t able to compete this yr.
And but, regardless of all this Utah solely has the fifth-worst file within the league, and as of proper now’s on the surface wanting in of profitable the lottery.
Toronto Raptors (10-31)
North of the border, the Raptors are taking part in some impressed tanking. Regardless of a pleasant win towards the slumping Celtics on Wednesday, the Raptors are nonetheless one of many worst groups within the league. the Scottie Barnes and RJ Barrett-led roster has struggled to compete, notably posting a 1-18 file on the highway this season.
Accidents have additionally performed a job within the Raptors dismal season, with Immanuel Quickley solely enjoying 9 video games this yr after re-signing for 5 years and $175M this offseason. The Raptors look to be in prime place to safe the No. 1 choose for the second time in franchise historical past.
Charlotte Hornets (9-28)
Whereas the Hornets have been a enjoyable watch this season, led by Lamelo Ball’s carefree, quick and unfastened enjoying fashion, the precise on-court product has not translated to profitable basketball. President of basketball operations Jeff Peterson said the workforce will ‘take heed to all the pieces’ forward of the upcoming commerce deadline, based on the Charlotte Observer’s Roderick Boone.
Because the Hornets look to be sellers on the deadline, their .243 profitable share might get even worse, and the probabilities of Flagg staying in North Carolina for his professional profession might get even higher.
Washington Wizards (6-32)
There’s really no workforce within the NBA tanking just like the Washington Wizards. They’ve the worst file within the league (6-32), the worst offensive ranking within the league (105.1), and the worst defensive ranking within the league (118.6) per NBA advanced stats. Their solely younger prospects of observe are two Frenchman, guard Bilal Coulibaly and 2024 No. 2 choose Alex Sarr, neither of which have been notably outstanding this season.
If there’s any workforce that wants a franchise-saving participant like Flagg, it is the Wizards, they usually’re enjoying prefer it.
