Trail Blazers Lose Out on Pelicans Lottery Pick

The Portland Trail Blazers will not receive a first-round pick in the 2022 NBA Draft from the New Orleans Pelicans. The pick was one of the primary pieces of compensation for Portland trading CJ McCollum, Larry Nance, Jr., and Tony Snell to New Orleans at the February trade deadline. But the pick was already promised to the Charlotte Hornets if it fell outside the NBA Draft Lottery, plus protected for the Top 4 spots in the draft. Portland only got the selection if it fell between 5-14 in the draft order.

Tonight the Pelicans defeated the Los Angeles Clippers 105-101 in the final game of the NBA Play-In Tournament. That victory grants the Pelicans the 8th seed the playoffs bracket, putting the Clippers in the lottery instead. As such, New Orleans’ pick will not fall into the range required to convey to Portland.

Instead the Blazers will receive a 2025 first-round pick originally held by the Milwaukee Bucks. That selection is Top 4 Protected. If it falls in the first four picks of the 2025 NBA Draft, the Blazers will receive no compensation.

Update: Some sources are now saying the Blazers would receive second-round picks if the Bucks’ first-rounder fails to convey. This is contrary to other published sources. We’ll sort it out for you over the next three years.

Losing the Pelicans’ pick cuts out some of Portland’s flexibility this summer as they seek to restock their team via the draft and/or trades.