LOS ANGELES -- What if a coin flip costs the Lakers their prized high first-round draft pick? It’s unlikely, but it’s statistically possible.
It’s been fairly well-chronicled that if the Lakers finish with the NBA’s second-worst record, they enter the draft lottery with a 55.8-percent chance to land a top-three pick, and thus avoid having to send it to Philadelphia. Finish with the third-worst record, and the Lakers’ retention chance drops to 46.9 percent.
But what if the Lakers and Phoenix end up tied for the second-worst record, as seems increasingly possible? Get that coin ready in advance of the May 16 draft lottery.