The play-in tournament has provided NBA fans with some more entertainment before the start of the playoffs. Some have not taken a liking to it, having been used to seeing the No. 9 and 10 seeds of both conferences head to Cancun early. However, watching teams duke it out in a mini-tournament with high stakes has been fascinating.
The Charlotte Hornets had a taste of what it was like to join the competition twice after securing the Eastern Conference's 10th seed in 2021 and 2022. They lost both times, first to the Indiana Pacers, then to the Atlanta Hawks.
Unfortunately, the Hornets were 18 wins away from a play-in berth this year, although they were more intent on chasing higher odds in this summer's draft lottery than a postseason slot. Still, the organization is probably watching the games because they have future draft implications for Charlotte.
What draft pick Heat owe Hornets depends on whether they secure a 2025 playoff berth
Last season, the Hornets negotiated a deal with the Miami Heat, sending them veteran guard Terry Rozier and getting a protected 2027 first-round pick and Kyle Lowry, who was quickly waived.
The thing is, Miami also owes a lottery-protected 2025 first-rounder to the Oklahoma City Thunder. If it fails to advance to the playoffs, the pick would convey to an unprotected 2026 first-round selection. Due to the Stepien Rule that prevents NBA teams from shipping out first-round picks in consecutive years, the Heat missing the playoffs would result in them handing out an unprotected 2028 first-round pick instead of a 2027 first-rounder that would be no higher than 15th overall.
Of course, there's no telling where the selection Miami will owe to the Hornets falls in the draft order. Still, they would likely rather have an unprotected pick than one with lottery protection.
So, the Hive might want to root for the Hawks, who lost to the Orlando Magic in the first round of the play-in, when they face off against the Heat on Friday. Miami dominated the Chicago Bulls on the road on Wednesday to keep its playoff dreams alive. Atlanta might have its work cut out for it, though, after having lost the final two matchups against its division rival to finish the regular season series 2-2.
Then again, Charlotte might not be too worried about how the playoff picture this campaign ends up, as its focus is likely on upgrading the roster this offseason in hopes of joining the party of teams vying for a postseason spot this time next year.