After finishing with the fifth-worst record in the league, the focus shifts to the draft lottery on Monday night. The Sixers have a top 6 protected pick which means they have to land somewhere in the top 6 to keep their pick or else it goes to the Oklahoma City Thunder as part of the Al Horford trade from 2020.

Every team in the NBA draft lottery is dreaming of winning the top pick or at least winding up somewhere in the top four. Getting slotted in the draft order is just the first part of the process, though. Once each team knows its draft slot, it needs to find a player who can help them get back into contention as soon as possible.

EDT Monday, locked inside a secure room with no way of communicating with the outside world, team executives and others will watch 14 ping-pong balls start to bounce inside a machine.