Two NBA Teams Are In Dire Need Of Winning 2025 NBA Draft Lottery

With Cooper Flagg as the overarching prize of next year's draft class, the Bulls and Nets are hoping to make a splash come draft time.

Apr 2, 2024; Houston, TX, USA; McDonald's All American East forward Cooper Flagg (32) shoots a three point basket over McDonald's All American West forward Donavan Freeman (10) during the first half at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images / Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

Unless we dramatic developments in coming months, Cooper Flagg is the sure-fire, no-nonsense, number one overall draft selection in next year's NBA Draft.

It makes sense. You all know why. At 6-9, Flagg projects as one of the best defensive forwards in years, on top of elite athleticism, a strong feel for the game, and unique passing instincts. Basically, he's bound to become a franchise player and give a team 12 to 15 years of All-Star caliber play, which is always worth bottoming out for.

Two teams stand out as teams in dire need for a franchise star, given their current direction, or lack thereof. So let's take a look at them.

Brooklyn Nets 

With Mikal Bridges now in New York, the Nets are clearly pivoting towards a full-blown rebuild, and without a blue-chip prospect on their hands.

(Yeah, guys, I like Cam Thomas too, but is he really a foundational piece?)

The Nets are primed for a young superstar to help develop their future path, and to have a beacon of which to build around. Should Flagg land in Brooklyn, the organization will be able to use San Antonio as the obvious example of how to build around a young superstar prospect, instead of trying to fit Flagg into an ideology that won't optimize him.

With the team already in the process of being torn down to the studs, winning the lottery - and thus Flagg - the Nets would signal a new, clear direction that'll much easier to navigate, than their current situation.

Chicago Bulls 

Look, the Bulls are a mess. They have been for years. They gamble on players they shouldn't, and fail to comprehend the element of trade value when pivoting off their own guys.

They've been a rudderless organization basically since Derrick Rose tore his ACL in 2012, and are in desperate need of a player who can restart the entire franchise, and allow them to go in a whole new direction.

Flagg would signal the arrival of a player that allows them to make everyone else on the roster expendable, establishing a set period in their space-time continuum, freeing them up to start over, properly this time.

Or, you know, they'll draft Flagg and try to accelerate their rebuild by Year 2, undermining his future as well as their own, and ultimately wasting the first seven years of his career, after which he leaves to join someone competent. 

But hey, at least they'll have a shot at doing the right thing.

Unless noted otherwise, all stats via NBA.com, PBPStats, Cleaning the Glass or Basketball-Reference. All salary information via Spotrac. All odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook.

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